2025 on Track to Be Among Hottest Years on Record
GENEVA: Record-breaking temperatures are pushing 2025 toward becoming one of the hottest years ever recorded, the United Nations said Thursday. However, urgent action is still needed to reverse this trend.
UN Warns of Rising Greenhouse Gases
Although 2025 may not surpass 2024 as the hottest year, it is expected to rank second or third, marking over a decade of unusually high global heat, the UN’s weather and climate agency reported. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas concentrations hit new record highs, trapping more heat in the atmosphere and oceans, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The report comes as world leaders meet in the Brazilian Amazon, ahead of next week’s COP30 UN climate summit. WMO chief Celeste Saulo told leaders in Belem, Brazil, that “it will be nearly impossible to limit global warming to 1.5°C in the next few years without temporarily exceeding the Paris Agreement target.”
Paris Climate Goals at Risk
The 2015 Paris climate accord aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, ideally 1.5°C. Saulo stressed that while the situation is serious, it is still possible to bring temperatures back to 1.5°C by the end of the century if countries take decisive action.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called missing the temperature target a “moral failure.” Additionally, WMO climate science chief Chris Hewitt noted that how long the world stays above 1.5°C depends on decisions made now, highlighting the urgency of COP30 negotiations.
A Decade of Rising Temperatures
Every year from 2015 to 2025 ranks among the warmest in recorded history, which spans 176 years. The years 2023, 2024, and 2025 top this list. WMO data shows that the average near-surface temperature for the first eight months of 2025 was 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels.
At the same time, greenhouse gas levels and ocean heat content continued to rise, surpassing 2024’s record highs. The UN Environment Programme also reported a 2.3% increase in global emissions last year, led by India, followed by China, Russia, and Indonesia.
Visible Impacts and Extreme Events
The rising temperatures are already causing visible effects on ice levels. Arctic sea ice reached its lowest extent ever recorded after the winter freeze. Meanwhile, Antarctic sea ice remained well below average.
WMO also recorded numerous extreme weather events during the first eight months of 2025, including floods, heatwaves, and wildfires. As a result, lives, food systems, and livelihoods worldwide have been affected.
Progress in Early Warning Systems
Despite these alarming trends, WMO highlighted significant improvements in early warning systems, which are more crucial than ever. Since 2015, the number of countries reporting such systems has more than doubled, from 56 to 119. Consequently, communities are now better prepared for climate-related disasters.
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