Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical & climate hazards at UCL, said: "The fact that the latest robust Copernicus data reveals the January just gone was the hottest on record - despite an emerging La Nina, which typically has a cooling effect - is both astonishing and, frankly terrifying.
'Dangerous climate breakdown' warning as hottest January on record shocks scientists Last month was the warmest January on record, according to new data.
Figures released by the European Copernicus climate service show average temperatures around the world in January were 1.75C warmer than before greenhouse gas emissions started to rise significantly in the industrial revolution around 150 years ago.
Dr Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, warned that the rising pace of climate change would increase the risk of extreme weather and its consequences.
"Having crashed through the 1.5C limit in 2024, the climate is showing no signs of wanting to dip under it again, reflected by the fact that this is the 18th of the last 19 months to see the global temperature rise since pre-industrial times top 1.5C.
