The world recorded the third warmest September in history this 2025, with temperatures that exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.47 degrees.
This was reported by the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union, showing that the planet maintains a sustained warming trajectory since before industrial development.
According to the entity, both high land and sea temperatures reflect the ongoing influence of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Worrying trend: global temperatures continue to rise
In its latest report, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the global average surface temperature reached 16.11 degrees Celsius in September 2025.
This record was just 0.07 degrees below September 2024 and 0.27 degrees less than 2023.
The difference between the third and second warmest September was minimal, raising concerns about the lack of progress regarding climate change.
According to the European body, just under 0.1 degrees Celsius separated both records.
The oceans also recorded record temperatures
The sea surface temperatures reached 20.72 degrees Celsius in September, marking the third highest record for this month since measurements began.
The North Pacific showed values significantly above the historical average.
Some areas of the North Pacific recorded historical maximums of sea surface temperature.
This situation confirms the ocean warming pattern that has been observed in recent years.
Climate change: why is it accelerating?
Samantha Burgess, strategic climate leader at the C3S of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, explained the current context.
“A year later, the context of the global temperature remains practically the same, with persistently high land and sea surface temperatures,” she detailed.
This, Burgess stated, “reflects the ongoing influence of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”
Thus, the C3S analysis reveals that the global climate situation has not experienced substantial improvements in the last year.
The temperatures both on land and sea surfaces remain at consistently high levels.
This pattern evidences the cumulative impact of pollutant gas emissions.
The atmospheric accumulation of these gases continues to be the main driver of global thermal increase.
How European climate monitoring works
The European Union’s climate monitoring network provides updated data on the state of the global climate.
Copernicus uses satellite observations and land measurements to track the evolution of temperatures.
Historical records allow comparison of current conditions with previous periods.
Thus, September 2025 confirms that the planet maintains a sustained warming trajectory since the pre-industrial era.
