Global and regional climate in 2021

Concentrations of greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2021, and energy continued to accumulate in the climate system with the ocean heat content reaching a new record high. La Niña events at the start and end of 2021, however, meant that the global mean temperature in 2021 was only between 5th and 7th warmest year on record. We give a summary of the global climate with a focus on the UK and Europre.