AI Generated Image
August was joint-hottest month ever recorded globally
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- August 2026 tied with July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally, with temperatures reaching 1.65°C above preindustrial levels, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
- Sea surface temperatures also hit record highs for August, and the intensifying El Niño weather system, likely the strongest on record due to climate change, is expected to further increase global temperatures later this year.
- The extreme heat has caused widespread impacts including wildfires, damaged harvests, heat-related deaths, and disruptions to transport and public services, contributing to rising food prices worldwide.
- UN climate chief Simon Stiell emphasized the severe social and economic costs of the heatwave and called for urgent government action to accelerate clean energy adoption, protect natural ecosystems, and enhance climate resilience.
- Scientists warn that sustained temperatures above 1.5°C increase the risk of crossing critical planetary tipping points, potentially causing irreversible damage to key climate stabilizers like the Arctic ice cap and the Amazon rainforest.
