New warming model from Met Office

GLOBAL temperatures are likely to rise slightly less than predicted over the next few years, according to new modelling from the Met Office.

Temperatures are likely to be between 0.28C and 0.59C above the 1971-2000 average in 2013-17, and are most likely to be around 0.43C above the long-term average, analysis suggests.

Updated figures are lower than the 0.54C above average that was predicted for 2012-16, with the changes a result of improved modelling.

The fact that the new model predicts less warming globally over the next five years does not necessarily say anything about long-term predictions of climate change this century, the Met Office added. Forecasts of global warming are driven largely by increasing levels of greenhouse gases.