Europe's Climate Monitor Predicts 2025 as Second-Hottest Year on Record
A scorching year is all but certain. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe's climate monitor, 2025 has already set its sights on becoming the second-hottest year on record, leaving only the possibility of it surpassing last year as the warmest in history.
As we approach December, the latest data shows that 2023's blistering temperatures have been trumped by those of this year. With the global average temperature now a staggering 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, it is "virtually certain" that 2025 will secure its place among the top three hottest years ever recorded.
While some may breathe a sigh of relief if they don't quite reach the catastrophic threshold set by scientists at 1.5C (2.7F), those in the know are sounding the alarm. The alarming fact remains: no matter what, the world is hurtling towards a tipping point from which it's uncertain whether we can recover.
This year has witnessed a series of devastating natural disasters, with recent tropical storms in South and Southeast Asia claiming over 1,800 lives. As the United Nations Secretary-General warned earlier this year, we are careening towards an inevitable overshoot of that critical temperature threshold.
The COP30 summit in Brazil last month proved particularly telling – without any agreement on phasing out fossil fuels, it's clear that a major shift in global policy is sorely needed to mitigate the effects of climate change.
But even without a drastic cutback in emissions, there are those who insist on adapting to what we've got now. Bjorn H Samset, a scientist at Norway's Center for International Climate Research, makes a crucial point about the need to speed up our efforts to prepare not only for this year's climate but also for the even warmer conditions that lie ahead.
The climate is rapidly changing, and with 2025 all but set to join the ranks of history's hottest years, it's time to rethink our priorities. Can we still find a way out of the impending catastrophe? Only time will tell.
A scorching year is all but certain. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe's climate monitor, 2025 has already set its sights on becoming the second-hottest year on record, leaving only the possibility of it surpassing last year as the warmest in history.
As we approach December, the latest data shows that 2023's blistering temperatures have been trumped by those of this year. With the global average temperature now a staggering 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, it is "virtually certain" that 2025 will secure its place among the top three hottest years ever recorded.
While some may breathe a sigh of relief if they don't quite reach the catastrophic threshold set by scientists at 1.5C (2.7F), those in the know are sounding the alarm. The alarming fact remains: no matter what, the world is hurtling towards a tipping point from which it's uncertain whether we can recover.
This year has witnessed a series of devastating natural disasters, with recent tropical storms in South and Southeast Asia claiming over 1,800 lives. As the United Nations Secretary-General warned earlier this year, we are careening towards an inevitable overshoot of that critical temperature threshold.
The COP30 summit in Brazil last month proved particularly telling – without any agreement on phasing out fossil fuels, it's clear that a major shift in global policy is sorely needed to mitigate the effects of climate change.
But even without a drastic cutback in emissions, there are those who insist on adapting to what we've got now. Bjorn H Samset, a scientist at Norway's Center for International Climate Research, makes a crucial point about the need to speed up our efforts to prepare not only for this year's climate but also for the even warmer conditions that lie ahead.
The climate is rapidly changing, and with 2025 all but set to join the ranks of history's hottest years, it's time to rethink our priorities. Can we still find a way out of the impending catastrophe? Only time will tell.
1.48 degrees is insane! We need to do something ASAP 
I don't care about the debate on phasing out fossil fuels, it's clear we're not going to make a difference if we keep doing things like this... but maybe if we start now? 
climate change is getting so real and I'm not sure if we're prepared for 2025 to be like...the second hottest year ever recorded?! 
like what's going to happen next?? I know some people are trying to adapt but it feels like we're all running out of time. and omg the COP30 summit was supposed to be a game changer but without any major agreements on phasing out fossil fuels, it's kinda back to square one 
did you guys see that tropical storm in South Asia? 1,800 lives lost?! 
it's just so sad. I guess what we need is for people to wake up and realize the gravity of this situation ASAP. can we still find a way out? only time will tell...but idk if i'll be here to see that 
i'm getting so anxious thinking about all these devastating natural disasters and rising temps 1.48 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels?!?! that's insane 
we cant keep sitting around waiting for someone else to make a change it's time for us to step up our game 
and those natural disasters in asia? devastating 
i wish people would come together to tackle this but it feels like we're running out of time 
the cop30 summit was a good start but we need concrete action not just words 
I'm getting a bad vibe about this whole thing... like we're running out of time here 
. I mean, 1.48 degrees above pre-industrial levels? That's crazy talk! 
We need to do something, and fast 
.
I don't know, but one thing's for sure: we need to start making some drastic changes now 
️ i'm not surprised though, climate change has been a thing for ages and we've only just now started taking it seriously 
the fact that COP30 summit was all about adapting to what we've got now is super concerning... shouldn't we be striving for a solution instead of just dealing with the symptoms? 
i mean, 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is already catastrophic and that's not even taking into account other factors like rising sea levels and extreme weather events... 2025 being the second-hottest year on record is just another reason to freak out