2025 Among Top Three Hottest Years Recorded, Say Researchers
Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said.
This year marked a significant milestone as the three-year temperature average surpassed the threshold established in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times. Experts emphasize that maintaining temperatures below this limit is crucial for saving lives and preventing catastrophic environmental damage worldwide.
The analysis from World Weather Attribution researchers, released in Europe, highlights the extreme weather events that plagued the globe in 2025. Despite the presence of a La Niña, a natural cooling phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, temperatures remained alarmingly high. Researchers attribute this to the ongoing combustion of fossil fuels—oil, gas, and coal—that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“If we don’t stop burning fossil fuels very, very quickly, it will be very hard to keep that goal,” stated Friederike Otto, co-founder of World Weather Attribution and a climate scientist at Imperial College London. “The science is increasingly clear.”
Extremes in 2025
Extreme weather events are responsible for thousands of fatalities and billions of dollars in damages each year. In 2025, WWA scientists identified 157 extreme weather events that met severe criteria, such as causing over 100 deaths or affecting more than half of a population. They closely analyzed 22 of these events.
Among these, dangerous heat waves emerged as the deadliest extreme weather events of the year. The researchers noted that some of the heat waves observed in 2025 were ten times more likely than they would have been a decade ago due to climate change. “The heat waves we have observed this year are quite common events in our climate today, but they would have been almost impossible to occur without human-induced climate change,” Otto explained. “It makes a huge difference.”
Prolonged drought conditions contributed to devastating wildfires in Greece and Turkey, while torrential rains and flooding in Mexico resulted in numerous fatalities and many missing persons. Super Typhoon Fung-wong struck the Philippines, displacing over a million people, and monsoon rains led to floods and landslides in India.
The WWA report indicates that the increasing frequency and severity of these extremes threaten millions globally, limiting their ability to respond and adapt effectively. For instance, Hurricane Melissa intensified so rapidly that it complicated forecasting and planning, leaving small island nations like Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti unable to manage the extensive damage.
Global Climate Negotiations Sputter Out
The recent United Nations climate talks in Brazil concluded without a clear plan to transition away from fossil fuels. Although additional funding was pledged to assist countries in adapting to climate change, implementation will take time. Officials and scientists acknowledge that the Earth’s warming will likely exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), although some believe reversing this trend is still possible.
Progress varies significantly among nations. China is rapidly expanding its renewable energy portfolio, including solar and wind power, yet continues to invest in coal. In Europe, calls for climate action have intensified due to increasingly frequent extreme weather, though some countries argue that such measures hinder economic growth. Meanwhile, the U.S. has seen a shift away from clean energy policies under the Trump administration, favoring fossil fuel interests.
“The geopolitical weather is very cloudy this year, with many policymakers clearly prioritizing the fossil fuel industry over their populations,” Otto remarked. “We also face a significant amount of misinformation.”
Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at Columbia University Climate School, noted that regions are experiencing unprecedented disasters, with extreme events intensifying and becoming more complex. This necessitates earlier warnings and innovative approaches to response and recovery. “On a global scale, progress is being made,” he added, “but we must do more.”
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Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.
Photograph: Firefighters tackle a wildfire in Canakkale, near the Dardanelles Strait, in Turkey, on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo credit: Murat Sengul/Getty Images
Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said.
This year marked a significant milestone as the three-year temperature average surpassed the threshold established in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times. Experts emphasize that maintaining temperatures below this limit is crucial for saving lives and preventing catastrophic environmental damage worldwide.
The analysis from World Weather Attribution researchers, released in Europe, highlights the extreme weather events that plagued the globe in 2025. Despite the presence of a La Niña, a natural cooling phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, temperatures remained alarmingly high. Researchers attribute this to the ongoing combustion of fossil fuels—oil, gas, and coal—that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“If we don’t stop burning fossil fuels very, very quickly, it will be very hard to keep that goal,” stated Friederike Otto, co-founder of World Weather Attribution and a climate scientist at Imperial College London. “The science is increasingly clear.”
Extremes in 2025
Extreme weather events are responsible for thousands of fatalities and billions of dollars in damages each year. In 2025, WWA scientists identified 157 extreme weather events that met severe criteria, such as causing over 100 deaths or affecting more than half of a population. They closely analyzed 22 of these events.
Among these, dangerous heat waves emerged as the deadliest extreme weather events of the year. The researchers noted that some of the heat waves observed in 2025 were ten times more likely than they would have been a decade ago due to climate change. “The heat waves we have observed this year are quite common events in our climate today, but they would have been almost impossible to occur without human-induced climate change,” Otto explained. “It makes a huge difference.”
Prolonged drought conditions contributed to devastating wildfires in Greece and Turkey, while torrential rains and flooding in Mexico resulted in numerous fatalities and many missing persons. Super Typhoon Fung-wong struck the Philippines, displacing over a million people, and monsoon rains led to floods and landslides in India.
The WWA report indicates that the increasing frequency and severity of these extremes threaten millions globally, limiting their ability to respond and adapt effectively. For instance, Hurricane Melissa intensified so rapidly that it complicated forecasting and planning, leaving small island nations like Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti unable to manage the extensive damage.
Global Climate Negotiations Sputter Out
The recent United Nations climate talks in Brazil concluded without a clear plan to transition away from fossil fuels. Although additional funding was pledged to assist countries in adapting to climate change, implementation will take time. Officials and scientists acknowledge that the Earth’s warming will likely exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), although some believe reversing this trend is still possible.
Progress varies significantly among nations. China is rapidly expanding its renewable energy portfolio, including solar and wind power, yet continues to invest in coal. In Europe, calls for climate action have intensified due to increasingly frequent extreme weather, though some countries argue that such measures hinder economic growth. Meanwhile, the U.S. has seen a shift away from clean energy policies under the Trump administration, favoring fossil fuel interests.
“The geopolitical weather is very cloudy this year, with many policymakers clearly prioritizing the fossil fuel industry over their populations,” Otto remarked. “We also face a significant amount of misinformation.”
Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at Columbia University Climate School, noted that regions are experiencing unprecedented disasters, with extreme events intensifying and becoming more complex. This necessitates earlier warnings and innovative approaches to response and recovery. “On a global scale, progress is being made,” he added, “but we must do more.”
___
Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.
Photograph: Firefighters tackle a wildfire in Canakkale, near the Dardanelles Strait, in Turkey, on Aug. 11, 2025. Photo credit: Murat Sengul/Getty Images
