Cyprus Times

2025 Ranked as Third Warmest Year on Record

Published January 14, 2026, 08:11
2025 Ranked as Third Warmest Year on Record

2025 recorded the third warmest average global temperature in history, approaching the records of 2023 and 2024. This means that the last three years are the warmest ever recorded, exceeding the pre-industrial level (1850-1900) by more than 1.5°C, the target set by the Paris Agreement. The main factors contributing to the temperature increase are the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the rise in ocean temperatures, combined with the El Niño phenomenon. Climate scientists warn that exceeding the 1.5°C limit will have serious consequences, such as frequent and intense heatwaves and extreme weather events. Europe also recorded its third warmest year, with an average temperature of 10.41°C, 1.17°C above the 1991-2020 reference period. 2024 was the warmest year in Europe, while 2020 was the second warmest.