The planet is now warming nearly twice as fast as it did in previous decades raising fresh concern about how quickly global temperature limits could be breached.
A study, reported by New Scientist, found the rate of global warming has accelerated sharply over the past decade compared with the second half of the twentieth century.
Researchers estimate the planet warmed by about 0.35°C per decade in the years to 2025 compared with roughly 0.2°C per decade between 1970 and 2015.
Scientists say the acceleration represents the first statistically significant evidence that global warming itself is speeding up rather than simply continuing at a steady rate.
The analysis drew on five major global temperature datasets and used statistical techniques to remove the short term effects of natural climate fluctuations such as El Niño volcanic eruptions and solar changes.
By isolating the long term trend researchers say they were able to show that human driven warming has intensified in the past decade.
The findings mean the world could reach key climate thresholds faster than previously expected if emissions remain high.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre industrial levels but the accelerated warming trend suggests that limit could be approached before 2030.
Scientists say the increase is largely driven by continued greenhouse gas emissions combined with declining levels of sulphur pollution which previously had a temporary cooling effect.
Even so researchers stress that the long term trajectory of warming remains strongly influenced by policy decisions.
Rapid cuts in carbon emissions could still stabilise global temperatures and slow the pace of warming.
Without that shift however the accelerating trend could increase the likelihood of crossing climate thresholds sooner than expected.
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