The summer of 2024 has been the world's hottest on record, as well as Europe's hottest, the EU's climate change monitoring programme said on Friday.

Within Europe, temperatures were most above average over the south and east of the continent, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Outside of Europe, they were most above average over eastern Antarctica, Australia, Canada, China, Iran, Japan, Mexico, north-east Africa and Texas, US.

"During the past three months of 2024, the globe has experienced the hottest June and August, the hottest day on record and the hottest boreal summer on record," said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus.

This string of record temperatures is increasing the likelihood of 2024 being the hottest year on record, she said.

"The temperature-related extreme events witnessed this summer will only become more intense, with more devastating consequences for people and the planet unless we take urgent action to reduce GHG emissions," Burgess added.