August 2026 recorded as world's joint-hottest month, pushing global temperatures 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels

The world experienced its joint-hottest month on record in August, with the average global temperature exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This extreme heat contributed to widespread extreme weather and climate-related disasters, including landslides and flash floods in Nepal and China's Tibet. Western Europe also endured its hottest summer ever, leading to low river flows and soil moisture, impacting agriculture. Scientists emphasize that while the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target refers to a long-term average, the current warming level is about 1.4C, and the UN has stated that adhering to the 1.5C goal is no longer possible without faster CO2 emission cuts.