Much of the extreme weather that wreaked havoc in Asia, Europe and the Pacific region last year can be blamed on human-induced climate change, the UN weather agency has said.

In a message to the conference in Stockholm, secretary general of the UN Ban Ki-moon sent his best wishes and gratitude to the IPCC, and said the “world’s eyes” are on the city today.

THIS decade is on track to become the warmest since records began in 1850, and 2009 could rank among the top-five warmest years, the UN weather agency reported yesterday on the second day of a pivotal 192-nation climate conference.

THE year 2003, marked by a sweltering summer and drought across huge swaths of the planet, was the third hottest in more than 150 years, the UN weather agency said yesterday.