GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels this year and for the next four years afterwards, the United Nations (UN) warned Thursday.

The 11 hottest individual years ever recorded all happened from 2015 onwards and the UN’s weather and climate agency said the trend was set to continue, with a new hottest-ever year “likely” before 2031.

There is a 75 per cent chance that the 2026-2030 five-year mean temperature will surpass the key threshold of 1.5C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said.