The World Meteorological Organization and other scientific bodies have declared 2025 the third-hottest year ever recorded, driven by relentless fossil fuel pollution. Surface air temperatures averaged 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels, dangerously close to the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement. This warming fueled severe environmental impacts, including record-low polar sea ice and extreme heat stress affecting half of the planet’s land area. The findings have led some experts to warn that the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal is now “dead in the water” as human activity remains the dominant driver of climate breakdown.
Date: January 14, 2026. Source: theguardian.com