August ties as world's hottest month, planet hits 1.5C warming mark
August tied with July 2023 as the warmest month on record, pushing the planet to more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed August pushed global average temperature to 16.96C, matching July 2023. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed August marked the first month since November 2025 the world exceeded more than 1.5C above pre-industrial times.
Scientists say climate change likely played a role in the landslides and flash floods that killed hundreds in Nepal and Tibet. Wildfires surged from Indonesia to Greece and Belgium.
Severe drought struck Hungary and Romania. The 1.5C threshold matters because 193 countries and the EU committed under the 2015 Paris agreement to prevent this level of long-term warming and avoid the worst climate impacts.
The world's long-term warming level currently sits at about 1.4C, but the UN warned last week that staying below 1.5C is no longer possible.
- 16.96C
- Average global temperature
- 1.65C hotter
- Above pre-industrial times
- 193 countries and the EU
- Paris agreement signatories
- July 2023
- Hottest month before August
Why it mattersA permanent shift above 1.5C warming triggers worse heatwaves, floods, droughts, and food shortages across the planet.
AustraliaNo direct Australian impact mentioned yet, but extreme heat and wildfires are already intensifying globally-close watch needed on how Australian summer weather unfolds.
Corroborated bytheguardian.com
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 d ago
