The World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that 2025 ranked among the three warmest years ever recorded, reinforcing concerns about accelerating global warming despite short-term natural cooling influences. After analysing eight international climate datasets, WMO said global average surface temperatures in 2025 were 1.44°C above the pre-industrial average for the period from 1850 to 1900.
According to the assessment, two datasets placed 2025 as the second warmest year in the 176-year global temperature record, while the remaining six ranked it as the third warmest. The findings extend a multi-year streak of exceptional global heat and highlight the persistence of long-term warming trends.
La Niña failed to curb rising temperatures
WMO noted that 2025 was marginally cooler than the three-year average beginning in 2023, partly due to the influence of La Niña. This climate phenomenon is typically associated with cooler global conditions. However, the organization emphasized that La Niña’s cooling effect did little to offset the broader warming trend driven by greenhouse gas emissions.
“The year 2025 started and ended with a cooling La Niña and yet it was still one of the warmest years on record globally because of the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in our atmosphere,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
The organization stressed that temporary cooling linked to natural climate variability does not reverse the long-term rise in global temperatures.
Extreme weather intensified by heat
WMO said the elevated temperatures over land and oceans in 2025 contributed to an increase in extreme weather events worldwide. These included intense heatwaves, heavy rainfall and deadly tropical cyclones, reinforcing the urgency of strengthening early warning systems and climate resilience measures.
Ocean heat near record highs
Ocean temperatures in 2025 were also among the highest ever observed, reflecting the long-term build-up of heat in the climate system. WMO cited a separate study showing widespread ocean warming across major basins.
About 33 percent of the global ocean area ranked among its top three warmest conditions in the historical record from 1958 to 2025. Around 57 percent of ocean regions fell within the top five warmest, including the tropical and South Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Indian Ocean and the Southern Oceans. These findings underscore the scale and consistency of ocean warming worldwide.
Detailed climate report due in March
WMO said it will publish a comprehensive assessment of climate indicators in its State of the Global Climate 2025 report, scheduled for release in March. The report will cover trends in greenhouse gas concentrations, surface temperatures, ocean heat content and other key measures of climate change.
The confirmation that 2025 ranks among the warmest years on record highlights the continued impact of human-driven climate change and the growing need for coordinated global action to limit future warming and adapt to increasingly extreme climate conditions.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH