As per NASA scientists, the global average temperature last year shot to the ninth-warmest in the modern meteorological record, continuing a trend linked to greenhouse gases that saw nine of the ten hottest years occurring since the year 2000.  Another report on similar lines, from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the average temperature for the United States in 2011 as the 23rd warmest year on record.

Presenting details of this observation, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies said in a statement that the global average surface temperature for 2011 was 0.92 degrees F (0.51 degrees C) warmer than the mid-20th century baseline temperature. The institute began recording temperature in 1880. While the first 11 years of the new century were notably hotter than the middle and late 20th century, according to institute director James Hansen, the only year from the 20th century that was among the top 10 warmest years was 1998.

Hansen, who has long campaigned against human-spurred climate change, further added a note that these high global temperatures were marked in spite of the cooling effects of a strong La Nina ocean temperature pattern and low solar activity for the past several years.

The NASA statement also said that the current higher temperatures are largely sustained by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, which is emitted by various human activities, such as coal-fired power plants, fossil-fueled vehicles and human breath. In addition to this, it also suggested facts like the current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have exceeded 390 parts per million, compared with 285 ppm in 1880 and 315 by 1960.

Facts and figures definitely conclude that reckless human activities have been contributing to global warming and if the scenario remains unbridled, the world would have to face many ill consequences.

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