July 2025 Marks Third-Hottest Month on Record Amid Ongoing Climate Crisis
July 2025 has been recorded as the third-hottest month ever, ending a two-year sequence of scorching global temperatures. However, experts caution that this temporary respite does not suggest any alleviation in the continuing climate crisis, reports 24brussels.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the mean global surface air temperature hit 16.68°C, surpassing the 1991–2020 average by 0.45°C and exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.25°C. This noteworthy figure places July 2025 behind only July 2023 and July 2024 in terms of heat records.
Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S, noted, “This was only the fourth month in the last 25 when the global average temperature did not exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” He emphasized the persistent rise of climate-related disasters, citing extreme heat waves and catastrophic flooding throughout the month. “Unless we rapidly stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, more temperature records—and more devastating impacts—should be expected,” he warned.
In Europe, July 2025 recorded the fourth-highest temperatures since records began, with averages 1.3°C above the 1991–2020 baseline. Particularly severe heat waves gripped Scandinavia, especially in Sweden and Finland, while southeastern Europe battled extensive wildfires, notably with Turkey registering a staggering 50.5°C. Concurrently, some regions in central Europe, western Russia, and parts of Spain experienced cooler-than-average conditions.
Globally, high temperatures were also observed in China and Japan, while several regions, including Antarctica, portions of the Americas, India, Australia, and parts of Africa, reported lower-than-normal temperatures.
Despite July 2025 not setting a new temperature record, scientists reiterate that the overarching trend of global warming persists. The recent cooldown represents a mere fluctuation in an ongoing crisis—one that amplifies the call for decisive and sustained climate action.
