The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that September ranked as the world’s third-warmest month on record, showcasing persistent high global average temperatures. Although not surpassing the record set in 2023, September maintained only a slight decrease compared to the previous year, according to the EU’s climate monitoring agency.
Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at Copernicus, emphasized that the global temperature landscape remains consistent, marked by continuously elevated land and sea surface temperatures attributed to the ongoing accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. September recorded a temperature anomaly of 1.47 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average from 1850-1900, indicating the impact of human activities on climate change.
Even minor temperature increases carry significant consequences, as each fraction of a degree of warming contributes to the planet’s destabilization, heightening the likelihood of extreme weather events and triggering critical climate thresholds. The escalation of global temperatures is primarily attributed to the substantial emissions of greenhouse gases by humanity, mainly from the widespread combustion of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution.
Forecasts suggest that 2025 is expected to rank as the third-hottest year following 2024 and 2023, with recent months closely trailing the temperature records established during this remarkable period. Against this backdrop, nations are set to convene in Brazil next month for the annual UN climate talks to address the collective response to the challenges posed by global warming.
Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, major economies continue to fall short in reducing emissions at a pace fast enough to avert the severe impacts of climate change, with many countries still endorsing new fossil fuel projects. Copernicus harnesses data from various sources, including satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations, to support its climate assessments, drawing on records dating back to 1940.
While Copernicus relies on modern measurement techniques, scientific evidence from ice cores, tree rings, and coral skeletons allows researchers to extend their findings further into the past. Scientists caution that the current era likely marks the warmest period on Earth in the last 125,000 years.