About climate change: Global facts and figures
Global facts and figures
Average global surface temperatures have increased by 0.74°C over the past one hundred years (see figure, below).
Eleven out of the last twelve years rank among the 12 warmest on record. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the strong warming of the last 50 years cannot be explained by natural climate variations alone, but requires the inclusion of the effects of human emissions.
Much of the observed rise in sea-level (12 - 22 cm) during the 20th century may be related to this increase in global mean temperatures. Current climate models predict that global temperatures will rise by a further 1.1 to 6.4 ° C by the end of the 21st century, depending on emissions. Global mean sea levels are also predicted to rise by 20 to 60 cm by 2100.
Further information
For detailed statistics on changes to the UK's climate, please see Defra statistics pages.
Page last modified: 12 March 2007
Page published: 01 December, 2005