2020 Ties With 2016 As Hottest Year On Record, Says Report 2020 Ties With 2016 As Hottest Year On Record, Says Report After an exceptionally warm autumn and winter in Europe, the continent experienced its hottest year on record in 2020, while the Arctic suffered extreme heat and atmospheric concentrations of planet-warming carbon dioxide continued to rise. Scientists say the rising temperatures contributed to more intense natural disasters. (File) Brussels/London: Last year tied with 2016 as the world's warmest on record, rounding off the hottest decade globally as the impacts of climate change intensified, the European Union's Earth observation service said on Friday. After an exceptionally warm autumn and winter in Europe, the continent experienced its hottest year on record in 2020, while the Arctic suffered extreme heat and atmospheric concentrations of planet-warming carbon dioxide continued to rise.