The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported July was the warmest month ever on record worldwide and 2015 has been so far the hottest year.

The first seven months of 2015 comprised the warmest such period on record globally, at 0.85? above the 20th century average, and surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.09?

Antarctic sea ice during July was 240,000 square miles (3.8 percent) above the 1981-2010 average. This was the fourth largest July Antarctic sea ice extent on record and 140,000 square miles smaller than the record-large July extent of 2014.

The heat hit hard in much of Europe and the Middle East. It was the hottest July on record in Austria, where records go back to 1767. Parts of France had temperatures that were on average 4 degrees above normal and temperatures hit 38.2 C in the Netherlands, which is a rarity. And an Iranian city had a heat index (the "feels like" temperature) of  74 Celsius (165 F), which was still not quite record.

One of the goals of the UN climate talks is to stop global temperatures from rising more than 2C above pre-industrial levels, which scientists say is the limit beyond which the world will suffer ever worsening floods, droughts, storms and rising seas. 

"It just reaffirms what we already know: that the Earth is warming," said NOAA climate scientist Jake Crouch. "The warming is accelerating and we're really seeing it this year."

Tips to reduce global warming and help fight climate change

Reuse, Reduce,Recycle

Switch to energy efficient bulbs

Use Less Hot Water

Plant a tree

Cut down the usage of fossil fuels

Drive less and smart