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Northern Ireland experienced its hottest year on record in 2022, according to a Stormont report.
The mean temperature across the 12 months of last year was 10.78C.
The weather data is included in a publication by Stormont’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).
It provides information on environmental indicators in areas including public attitudes, climate, air quality and biodiversity.
Climate records, the Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report 2023 states, “suggest that the mean annual temperature has been steadily increasing since the end of the 19th century”.
The report adds: “The number of days per year where the temperature exceeded 20C has also been increasing in the same timescale”.
The lowest mean annual temperature (7.35C) was recorded in 1879.
The report also shows that illegal dumping and litter is the biggest environmental concern for the public.
Climate change and pollution are seen as the biggest threats to Northern Ireland’s biodiversity, while people are also worried about how waste is managed.
Reusing and recycling are the most common things people who want to help the environment do, the report says.
The report also details that roadside levels of nitrogen dioxide are falling in Northern Ireland and plastic bag use is continuing to fall.
