Heat wave strikes: Europe experiences third warmest June ever!

Heat wave strikes: Europe experiences third warmest June ever!

In June 2025, the world experienced one of the warmest months on record. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) recorded an average ERA5 surface temperature of 16.46°C for the month, making it the third warmest June globally. This temperature was 0.47 °C above the average for June in the period 1991 to 2020, while June 2024 was the highest with a record 16.66 °C. Additionally, June 2025 was 1.30°C warmer than pre-industrial levels estimated between 1850 and 1900, clearly demonstrating the impact of human-caused climate change on the global climate.

This peculiarity is underlined by the reporting of the C3S, which publishes monthly climate bulletins on behalf of the European Commission. These bulletins are based primarily on the ERA5 reanalysis dataset, which collects billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations. The data assimilation process makes it possible to produce a consistent and comprehensive estimate of the global climate state without having to predict changing conditions in real time.

Influence of heat waves

A significant event in June was a heat wave that affected large parts of Western Europe. This heat wave was amplified by record high sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean, reflecting the widespread climate changes that have been increasingly documented in recent years. These extreme weather events are a clear indicator of the increasing climate risks that threaten ecosystems and human communities worldwide.

Global surface temperatures have risen by more than 1.3°C since 1880, with 2024 about 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. The last few decades have seen the warmest temperatures in over 125,000 years, increasing pressure on governments and societies to take urgent action on climate change. This becomes particularly eventful when considering the forecasts of further warming, which can vary between 1.5 and 5.7 °C by the end of the 21st century depending on the emissions scenario.

Climate protection measures and outlook

The IPCC report highlights that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of warming of the climate system. Current atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations in 2024 were 421 ppm for carbon dioxide and 1,930 ppb for methane. Ambitious climate action could limit temperature rise to 1.5°C to 2.4°C by 2100, but requires immediate and decisive action.

The technical and economic feasibility of mitigating climate change exists, but it requires a change in energy production, such as increased use of solar energy and wind power, as well as reduced meat consumption and the protection of ecosystems. To meet the challenges of climate change, societies must work together internationally to tackle the massive threat posed by the climate crisis.