The planet faced no relief in 2025. After two intense years of heat, the trend continued: 2025 was marked as the third hottest year on record worldwide, including Europe. According to the European climate observatory Copernicus, for the first time, the years 2023, 2024, and 2025 all surpassed the critical threshold of 1.5°C warming compared to pre-industrial levels. This is a stark reminder that climate change is not just a future threat—it’s our current reality.
In 2025, average global temperatures were 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). It closely followed 2024, the hottest year ever, which exceeded 1.5°C. Alarmingly, the last 11 years have all ranked as the hottest recorded.
Samantha Burgess, a climate expert at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stated, “The Paris Agreement has not been broken.” While the goals are assessed over a longer timeframe, if current trends continue, crossing the 1.5°C limit could become permanent by 2030—years sooner than scientists had forecast in 2015.
The last three years have been described as “exceptionally warm” due to the unprecedented buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Human activities, especially the burning of coal, oil, and gas, have drastically increased these emissions. At the same time, natural systems like forests are struggling to absorb CO2 effectively, worsening the situation.
El Niño, a natural climate pattern that warmed the oceans in 2023 and 2024, was one factor behind this heat. Even with the shift to La Niña, which typically cools temperatures, 2025 remained unusually hot. Another influence was a reduction in aerosols—pollution particles that usually help cool the Earth—thanks to stricter air quality measures. Yet, many uncertainties linger. Burgess notes, “It’s still too early to say whether we’re entering a new phase of constant warming or if this is just normal variability.”
Social media has been buzzing with concern about climate change. Many users share personal stories of extreme weather affecting their lives, indicating that climate change isn’t just a statistic—it’s impacting real people. In 2024, a survey found that 72% of young people feel anxious about climate change, highlighting the urgency for action.
Historically, the Earth has undergone various climate shifts, but the speed and scale of today’s changes are unprecedented. Past societies struggled with climate challenges, but today we have even more tools at our disposal to combat them—if we choose to use them.
The need for urgent action has never been clearer. Current trends show a pressing need for radical policy changes, renewable energy adoption, and greater awareness. The stakes are high, and the future of our planet depends on the decisions we make today.
