The earth is a hot, gassy mess, according to a report released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. And while the vast majority of scientists agree that this is thanks to human activity, that fact is hard to find in the report.The “State of the Climate” report, compiled by 450 scientists from more than 60 countries, officially declared 2016 the hottest year on record since scientists began tracking this data over 150 years ago. Concentrations of the planet-warming gas carbon dioxide are also now higher than they’ve ever been in recorded history. (Since carbon dioxide can take thousands of years to completely disappear from Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, global temperatures are unlikely to fall substantially anytime soon.)The report reads like a greatest hits list of the usual climate change findings and warnings. It also found:
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- The Arctic is warming much more quickly than the rest of the world.
- Sea levels are at record-high levels and show no sign of going down.
- Not only has the globe’s average temperature increased, but so have the number of “very warm” months that occur each year (months where the average temperature is in the 90th or higher percentile)