Key facts
- August was the joint-hottest month on record globally, with average temperatures 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
- Global surface air temperatures in August hit 16.96C, surpassing the 1990-2020 average by 0.85C.
- Average sea surface temperature was recorded at 21.07C, also the joint-hottest on record.
- Global greenhouse gas emissions rose 0.7% in 2025 to 54 billion tons of CO2 equivalent.
- US climate pollution increased by 2.2% in 2025.
- China's emissions rose 0.1% in 2025, while India's fell 0.2%.
August was the joint-hottest month on record globally, with average temperatures reaching 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to official data from the EU's Copernicus earth observation unit. This marks the second time monthly global temperatures have hit this level, with the only other instance being July 2023.
Copernicus attributed the record temperatures to a combination of global heating from burning fossil fuels and rising sea surface temperatures in the Pacific linked to an El Niño climate pattern. Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stated that these observations demonstrate how climate change is driving extreme weather across both the atmosphere and oceans.
The sweltering August concluded a summer marked by heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts in Europe. Global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities increased by 0.7% in 2025, reaching a record 54 billion tons of CO2 equivalent, according to the European Commission. This trajectory suggests a potential warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the decade.
The United States saw a 2.2% increase in its climate pollution in 2025. China, the world's largest emitter, experienced a 0.1% rise, while India's emissions decreased by 0.2%. The EU's emissions also fell by 0.2% in 2025.
Copernicus's figures combine global air and sea surface temperatures. August's global surface air temperature reached 16.96C, 0.85C above the 1990-2020 average. The average sea surface temperature was 21.07C, also a record. In Europe, August was the fourth-hottest on record, and 2026 was Europe's third-hottest summer.
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