The past three years have officially become the hottest period ever recorded, according to the latest Global Climate Highlights 2025 report released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The report confirms that 2024 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850, with 2023, 2024, and 2025 now ranking as the three hottest years in history.
Copernicus data show that the average global temperature in 2024 exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.6°C, surpassing the Paris Agreement threshold. While 2025 was slightly cooler at 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels, scientists attribute this mainly to the temporary cooling influence of La Niña in the Pacific Ocean. The report also highlights a rise in the number of days with temperatures above 32°C, classified as extreme heat events.
The Global Climate Highlights 2025 report provides an authoritative overview of climate conditions in 2025, covering surface and sea surface temperatures, heat stress, and changes in Arctic and Antarctic sea ice. According to Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo, current trends suggest that the 2020s may soon be viewed as a relatively “cool” decade, reinforcing warnings that today’s records could be only the beginning of a much hotter climate trajectory.
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