August was world’s joint hottest month on record: Scientists

Last month, global temperatures soared to an unprecedented joint record, with scientists from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service revealing that August 2026 was the world's hottest month on record. The temperature was a staggering 1.65C above pre-industrial levels, a time before humans extensively burned fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases that continue to heat the planet until emissions are brought to zero, known as net zero.

This heatwave marked the first time global temperatures surpassed the 1.5C threshold above pre-industrial averages since November 2025, under the Paris Agreement's target to limit global warming to "well below" 2C and pursue efforts to curb it to 1.5C to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Western Europe experienced its warmest summer on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2003.

Heatwaves continued a run of extreme heat that began in May, severe drought conditions hit several countries, and major rivers experienced exceptionally low flows. Globally, the month was the hottest August on record, and sea surface temperatures reached record highs, with the warmest August ever recorded for the world and August 2026 marking a return to temperatures above 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.