May 2025 Confirmed as Second-Hottest Month on Record, EU Climate Agency Reports
The world experienced its second warmest May ever recorded, according to the latest bulletin by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). Average global temperatures in May were 1.4°C higher than the 1850–1900 pre-industrial baseline a period marking the start of widespread fossil fuel use.
Regions including the Middle East, West Asia, northeastern Russia, and northern Canada saw the sharpest temperature rises. Western Antarctica also recorded significant warming. In Jacobabad, Pakistan, temperatures soared to nearly 50°C, echoing a deadly heatwave last June that claimed over 560 lives in southern Pakistan.
Though May marked a slight dip below the 1.5°C global warming threshold for the first time in 22 months, scientists caution this may only be temporary. “It’s a brief respite,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of C3S, warning that rising temperatures are likely to continue due to ongoing global warming.
The extreme heat also had far-reaching effects beyond South Asia. In Greenland, the May heatwave caused the ice sheet to melt at 17 times the usual rate, with neighboring Iceland experiencing similar impacts, according to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group.
While the planet swelters, global climate action remains inconsistent. China and the European Union have reported declines in emissions, with China increasing renewable energy output and reducing coal reliance. According to Carbon Brief, China’s emissions fell by 3% in the first quarter of 2025.
Meanwhile, the EU remains on track to cut emissions by 55% by 2030, boasting a 37% drop since 1990. “Climate action and economic growth can go hand in hand,” said Wopke Hoekstra, EU Commissioner for Climate.
In contrast, the United States continues to expand fossil fuel use. Under President Donald Trump’s policies and growing demand from energy-intensive tech sectors, emissions are on the rise. A United Nations report highlights that artificial intelligence and data centers are significantly driving up electricity demand.
Efforts to combat climate change are also unfolding at the regional level. Caribbean leaders recently convened to strategize mangrove restoration a natural shield against rising seas and extreme storms.
Experts warn that without urgent, coordinated action, such extreme climate events may become the norm. As climate scientist Friederike Otto emphasized, “Without climate change, these extremes would have been impossible. The consequences affect the entire planet.”
