World marks new global heat record in March

Europe's climate monitor has said that March was the hottest on record and the tenth straight month of historic heat, with sea surface temperatures also hitting a "shocking" new high.

It is the latest red flag in a year already marked by climate extremes and rising greenhouse gas emissions, spurring fresh calls for more rapid action to limit global warming.

Every month since June 2023 has beaten its own "hottest ever" tag - and March 2024 was no exception.

The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said that March globally was 1.68C hotter than an average March between the years 1850-1900, the reference period for the pre-industrial era.

The March record was only broken by 0.1C but it is the broader trend that was more alarming.

Huge swathes of the planet endured above-average temperatures in March, from parts of Africa to Greenland, South America and Antarctica.

It was not only the tenth consecutive month to break its own heat record, but capped the hottest 12-month period on the books - 1.58C above pre-industrial averages.