• 2025 marked as the third-warmest year globally, trailing 2024 and 2023.
• The global average temperature was 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels.
• First time the three-year average (2023-2025) exceeded the Paris Agreement's limit of 1.5°C.
• Human activity remains the primary driver of observed temperature increases.
• Continued warming threatens to surpass critical climate thresholds beyond control.

According to data released by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), 2025 was the third-warmest year on record globally, with temperatures averaging 1.47 degrees Celsius (2.65 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. This temperature was slightly cooler than 2024 by 0.13 degrees Celsius and only marginally less warm than 2023 by 0.01 degrees Celsius. This trend marks a worrying continuation, as the last eleven years have been the hottest recorded, according to ABC News, AA, and Al Jazeera.

Significantly, the average temperature from 2023 to 2025 exceeded the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set forth in the Paris Agreement. This is the first three-year period to surpass this limit, raising concerns about the urgency of climate action. As the world moves towards the end of the decade, predictions indicate that the 1.5-degree threshold could be officially reached, possibly within this timeframe, as noted by climate scientists from ECMWF and echoed by multiple reports ABC News, AA, and Al Jazeera.

The extreme temperatures experienced were primarily attributed to the persistent accumulation of greenhouse gases and diminished carbon absorption by natural sinks. In particular, the report emphasized that the Arctic and Antarctic experienced record-high temperatures, and high sea-surface temperatures significantly influenced these extremes. Laurence Rouil, director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, stated, "Human activity remains the dominant driver of the exceptional temperatures we are observing," highlighting the connection between emissions and climate change impacts, according to ABC News, AA, and Al Jazeera.

Furthermore, the report indicated an alarming rise in global weather-related disasters, with half of the global land area experiencing above-average heat. This spike contributed to devastating wildfires across various regions including Europe and North America, and deteriorated air quality which posed serious health risks to populations. The findings reinforce that action is urgently required to address the ongoing climate crisis, as echoed by climate scientists, ABC News, AA, and Al Jazeera.