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Scorching Heatwaves and Raging Wildfires Grip the Globe
9 Sep
Summary
- August 2025 was the world's third-hottest on record
- Wildfires ravaged Spain and Portugal, forcing thousands to evacuate
- Ocean temperatures neared record highs, worsening weather extremes
In September 2025, the Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the world experienced its third-hottest August on record, with devastating consequences. Southwestern Europe was gripped by a third summer heatwave, as wildfires tore through Spain and Portugal, forcing thousands to evacuate. Many parts of Asia also saw above-average temperatures during the scorching month.
The world's oceans, which play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate, were also close to record high temperatures in August 2025. Hotter seas are directly linked to worsening weather extremes, further emphasizing the urgency of tackling climate change.
Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at the Copernicus Climate Change Service, stressed that these events "underline not only the urgency of reducing emissions but also the critical need to adapt to more frequent and intense climate extremes." Global temperatures have been steadily rising due to humanity's emissions of planet-heating gases, largely from the burning of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution.
