Seeing red - Record-breaking heatwaves are only going to get more severe

The world endured the hottest week ever recorded between 3-10 July. And meteorologists say there is more to come - a lot more.

- Robin McKie

Soaring levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and an unusual band of strong winds hovering high over the Atlantic have triggered heatwaves in the US, Greece, Spain, Italy and a host of other countries.

Red weather alerts have been issued across Europe; wildfires are raging in Croatia and in Spain; and tourist locations such as the Acropolis have been closed as temperatures have reached the 40s.

The Earth has not experienced anything like it since instrumental measures of air temperatures began in the 1850s, according to the World Meteorological Organization. "We are in uncharted territory and that is worrying news for the planet," said Prof Christopher Hewitt, the WMO's director of climate services.