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This year will be the hottest year in human history, the head of the United Nations has said, at the start of the COP28 climate summit, the BBC reports.

UN secretary-general António Guterres said the record showed "we are living through climate collapse in real time".

Imploring the international community to act and deliver on climate commitments, he said the record should "send shivers down the spines of world leaders".

His comments came as the World Meteorological Organisation reported it was "virtually certain" 2023 had broken the global temperature record.

There are fears 2024 could be warmer still because of the El Niño weather system.

Guterres noted in a speech that sea levels and sea surface temperatures have reached record highs and that sea-ice levels in Antarctica have hit a record low.

"This year has seen communities around the world pounded by fires, floods, and searing temperatures... Record global heating should send shivers down the spines of world leaders. And it should trigger them to act," Guterres said.