This year is set to be the hottest on record worldwide due to global warming and the El Nino phenomenon, Britain?s Meteorological Office said yesterday. The combination of factors would likely push average temperatures this year above the record set in 1998. The established moderate El Nino would continue for the first few months of 2007. ?This new information represents another warning that climate change is happening around the world,? said Met Office scientist Katie Hopkins. Most scientists agree that temperatures will rise by between two and six degrees Celsius this century due mainly to carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels for power and transport. They say this will cause melting at the polar ice caps, sea levels to rise and weather patterns to change bringing floods, famines and violent storms, putting millions of lives at risk. It noted that as there was a time lag between El Nino and its full effect on surface temperatures, its influence would therefore be felt well into the year. It will coincide with what environmentalists say will be a very busy year for climate diplomacy.