Global annual surface temperature increase above pre-industrial level. Data source ECMWF
Last year was among the planet's three warmest on record, the World Meteorological Organization said. EU scientists also confirmed average temperatures have now exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming for the longest since records began.
The WMO, which consolidates eight climate datasets from around the world, said six of them - including the European Union's European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the British national weather service - had ranked 2025 as the third warmest, while two placed it as the second warmest in the 176-year record.
All eight datasets confirmed that the last three years were the planet's three hottest since records began, the WMO said. The warmest year on record was 2024.
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