Brussels: After a year marked by catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles, an unusual cyclone in Southeast Asia, and severe drought conditions prompting Iran to consider relocating its capital city, new data indicates that 2025 has become the third warmest year on record. According to Deutsche Welle, the findings from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service program also highlight that global temperatures over the past three years averaged more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. This marks the first instance of a three-year period surpassing that critical threshold.

Mauro Facchini, responsible for Earth observation at the European Commission, described the situation as an unwelcomed milestone. Scientists have consistently cautioned about the risks associated with exceeding the temperature limit established in the 2015 Paris climate accord, warning that surpassing this level could lead to more frequent extreme heat events, heightened flooding risks, and stronger storms.

Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus's climate change service, emphasized that the world is on a trajectory to cross this threshold in the long term. "The choice we now have is how to best manage the inevitable overshoot and its consequences on societies and natural systems," Buontempo stated in a press release. Experts agree on the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by shifting to clean energy sources while simultaneously adapting to life on a warming planet.

At the previous year's United Nations climate summit, nations committed $120 billion to help vulnerable countries finance adaptation projects, including sea walls, early-warning systems, and drought-resistant crops. However, climate finance pledges have historically not always translated into action.

The three-year temperature trend was further influenced by an intense El Niño event, which contributed to the sharp rise in global temperatures. Greenhouse gases, primarily from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas, continue to be the primary driver behind the increasing global temperatures. These activities are linked to a rise in extreme weather events, impacting lives worldwide. The situation is exacerbated by the destruction of natural carbon sinks, such as forests, which would otherwise absorb CO2.

Laurence Rouil, director of Copernicus's atmosphere monitoring service, noted, "Atmospheric data from 2025 paints a clear picture: human activity remains the dominant driver of the exceptional temperatures we are observing," adding that greenhouse gas levels have steadily increased over the past decade.

In 2023 and 2024, this trend was further intensified by a particularly strong El Niño, a climate pattern that occurs periodically and transfers ocean heat into the atmosphere. The consequences were evident globally, with Copernicus reporting record low sea ice levels at both the North and South Poles in 2025. Additionally, Antarctica experienced its warmest annual temperature on record, and half of the world's land area saw more dangerously hot days than usual. "The atmosphere is sending us a message, and we must listen," Rouil cautioned.

Edited by: Tamsin Walker

This article was amended to clarify that from 2023-2025 global temperature rise averaged more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.