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The United Nations has cautioned that 2025 is set to become one of the hottest years in recorded history, marking another troubling milestone in the escalating climate crisis.
A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that this year is on track to rank as the second or third hottest year since global temperature tracking began 176 years ago. Only 2024 remains hotter. The latest findings were shared as global leaders met in the Brazilian Amazon ahead of next week’s COP30 climate summit.
The WMO noted that greenhouse gas levels have reached unprecedented highs, causing more heat to accumulate in the atmosphere and oceans. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) also highlighted a 2.3 percent rise in global emissions last year, driven largely by China, India, Russia, and Indonesia.
WMO chief Celeste Saulo told leaders in Belem that the data makes it extremely difficult to limit warming to 1.5°C in the near future without a temporary overshoot of the Paris Agreement target. The 2015 accord calls for keeping global temperature rise well below 2°C, with an ideal limit of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Despite the grim outlook, Saulo emphasized that it remains possible to bring temperatures back to 1.5°C by the end of the century if immediate and far-reaching action is taken.
Rising Temperatures Trigger Global Climate Alarms
The report found that near-surface temperatures, about two meters above ground, were 1.42°C above pre-industrial averages in the first eight months of 2025. Visible consequences are appearing worldwide. Arctic sea ice reached its lowest winter level ever recorded, while Antarctic sea ice stayed far below average throughout the year. WMO scientists also tied this year’s heat to severe floods, wildfires, and extreme weather, which are disrupting livelihoods, agriculture, and ecosystems globally.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the world’s failure to meet climate goals as a moral failure. WMO climate expert Chris Hewitt said how long temperatures remain elevated depends on decisions made now, underscoring the importance of policy outcomes at COP30. The WMO added that every year from 2015 to 2025 will be among the warmest ever documented, with 2023, 2024, and 2025 at the top of the list.
Still, the report highlighted some progress. Early warning systems have expanded from 56 countries in 2015 to 119 countries today. These systems are crucial in helping communities prepare for climate-related disasters.
The UN stressed that a viable scientific path to recovery remains, but only if governments move quickly to cut emissions, shift to clean energy, and protect vulnerable populations from worsening climate impacts.
