Warning as scientists find this year was one of the three hottest on record
2025 was officially one of the hottest on record
- Human-induced climate change has made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, with the three-year average temperature exceeding the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit for the first time.
- Researchers from World Weather Attribution confirmed this, attributing the high temperatures, despite a La Nina event, to the continued burning of fossil fuels.
- Dangerous heat waves were identified as the deadliest extreme weather events in 2025, with some being ten times more likely due to climate change, alongside other severe events like droughts, wildfires, and floods globally.
- Experts warn that these increasingly frequent and severe extremes are pushing the “limits of adaptation” for millions worldwide, making effective response and recovery more challenging.
- Recent UN climate talks in Brazil ended without an explicit plan to transition away from fossil fuels, and policymakers in various nations are criticised for implementing policies that favour the fossil fuel industry.