Last year was warmest on record for Europe as carbon dioxide levels reach new peak Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are also set to reach a record high this year, Met Office scientists said A flock of geese flying past a smokestack in Kansas USA Credit: Charlie Riedel /AP 2020 was the hottest year on record for Europe, EU scientists say. Data from the Copernicus Project shows that average temperatures last year outstripped the previous record set in 2019 by 0.4C. Winter 2019-20 and autumn 2020 were also the warmest recorded, the researchers said, with temperatures between December and February last year beating 2016 by almost 1.4C.