London: August tied with July 2023 as the hottest August on record, with global temperatures reaching 1.65°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The period from 1850 to 1900 is generally used as the pre-industrial reference period, before fossil fuel use expanded on a large scale. August’s average temperature was 1.65°C higher than the estimated average for that period.
The month brought extreme heat and drought conditions across parts of Europe, including the UK, France, Hungary, Serbia and Romania. Major rivers such as the Rhine and Danube also recorded exceptionally low water flows.
The UK’s Met Office has also reported that summer 2026 was the country’s hottest summer on record, with average temperatures 0.4°C higher than the previous record set in 2025. The 2015 Paris climate agreement called on countries to keep global warming well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.
Scientists say temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold are linked to more severe climate impacts, including droughts, floods and rising sea levels. August was the first month since November last year to exceed the key threshold.
Sea surface temperatures also reached record levels during August. Average temperatures outside the polar regions reached 21.07°C, matching the record recorded in March 2024.
Copernicus Climate Change Service Deputy Director Samantha Burgess described August as a remarkable month, saying record sea temperatures and extreme heat showed how climate change is affecting both the atmosphere and oceans.
Burgess added that the effects are increasingly being experienced by communities, economies and ecosystems around the world. The findings come ahead of COP31, the next major UN climate conference, which will take place in Antalya, Türkiye, in November.
Gareth Redmond-King of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit noted that the latest figures should serve as a warning for governments. Redmond-King called for faster cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, stronger climate resilience and a quicker shift away from coal, oil and gas.
The latest temperature data highlights the growing pressure on countries to strengthen climate action as global temperatures continue to reach record levels.
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