Overview
- World Weather Attribution cataloged 157 high-impact extreme events in 2025 and conducted detailed studies of 22 cases.
- Scientists concluded at least 17 of those events became more likely or more severe because of climate change, with some risks about ten times higher than a decade ago.
- Heat waves emerged as the leading climate-linked cause of death globally in 2025, surpassing floods, storms, fires and droughts.
- Regional analyses found large shifts in hazard, including Spain’s record wildfire season being up to 40 times more likely and Los Angeles’ January fires about 35% more likely in today’s climate.
- WMO, NASA and Copernicus data place 2025 among the warmest years and show the past three-year average above 1.5°C, as researchers warn adaptation is nearing limits and urge rapid emissions cuts with greater support for vulnerable, data-poor regions.