Checkmate: how do climate science deniers' predictions stack up?

The years 2017, 2016 and 2015 will make up the three hottest years on record for the planet. But there's no convincing some people

When the global temperature readings are in for 2017, it's going to be a very hard sell for climate-science deniers: 2017 will likely be ranked either side of 2015 as the second or third hottest year on record, with 2016 still in top spot.

The hottest five-year period recorded in the modern era will be the one we've just had.