The past decade has been the hottest on record, the UN said on Wednesday warning that the higher temperatures were expected to fuel numerous extreme weather events in 2020 and beyond.
Last month was the equal hottest September in history, the European Union's satellite monitoring service announced, the fourth month in a row with near- or record-breaking temperatures. The Copernicus Climate Service said September 2019 was 0.57 degrees Celsius hotter than the historical average - on a par with September 2016.
Temperatures were climbing on Sunday as Europe braced for a blistering heat-wave with the mercury set to hit 40 degrees Celsius as summer kicks in on the back of a wave of hot air from North Africa. Europeans are set to bake in what forecasters are warning will likely be record-breaking temperatures for June with the mercury set to peak mid-week.