Record-Breaking Heat in Turkey Amid Global Warming Trend
July 2025 marked the third warmest July on record, with a scorching temperature of 50.5°C (122.9°F) recorded in Turkey, according to scientists on Thursday.
This month continued a trend of extreme weather conditions attributed to human-induced global warming, despite a pause in setting new planetary temperature records.
Global Temperature Analysis by Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) of the European Union, the global average surface air temperature reached 16.68°C in July, which is 0.45°C above the average for the month between 1991 and 2020.
“Two years after the hottest July ever recorded, the recent streak of global temperature records has come to an end—for now,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of C3S.
Buontempo emphasized that this cooling trend does not imply the cessation of climate change. “We continue to witness the effects of a warming world through extreme events like intense heat and catastrophic floods in July.”
Temperature Anomalies and Their Implications
Although July 2025 was not as hot as the record-breaking July of 2023 or the second warmest July of 2024, the global surface temperature average was still 1.25°C above the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale.
Moreover, the 12-month period from August 2024 to July 2025 was 1.53°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, surpassing the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement—an international treaty aimed at curbing global warming since its implementation in 2016.
Causes and Consequences of Global Warming
The primary cause of global warming is the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded globally.
Though it has yet to officially surpass the 1.5°C long-term average global temperature target set by the Paris Agreement, some scientists argue that staying below this threshold is no longer realistic. They urge accelerated reductions in CO2 emissions to mitigate the extent of exceeding this limit and curb the escalation of extreme weather events.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What makes July 2025 significant? July 2025 was the third warmest July on record, despite a temporary cooling trend. It still exceeded pre-industrial temperatures by 1.25°C and the 12-month period from August 2024 to July 2025 was 1.53°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, surpassing the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold.
- Q: How do scientists explain the cooling trend amid global warming? Scientists, like Carlo Buontempo from C3S, emphasize that the cooling trend does not mean climate change has stopped. Instead, it highlights the ongoing effects of a warming world through extreme weather events.
- Q: What are the implications of exceeding the 1.5°C threshold? Exceeding the 1.5°C threshold, as set by the Paris Agreement, could lead to more severe and frequent extreme weather events. Some scientists argue that staying below this threshold is no longer realistic, urging accelerated reductions in CO2 emissions to mitigate further warming.
