This year is very likely to be the hottest year on record worldwide, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.
Man-made global warming and a strong "El Nino" phenomenon in the Pacific, which pushes up temperatures, mean 2015 has had the hottest January to October on record, with temperatures 1C above pre-industrial levels, preliminary estimates show.
The years 2011 to 2015 have been the warmest five-year period on record, with extreme events such as heatwaves influenced by climate change, the UN's weather, water and climate body said.
The WMO analysis of 2015, based on three independent datasets including one from the Met Office and University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit, is released ahead of crucial climate talks in Paris to secure a new deal to curb rising temperatures.