As global temperatures rise, we are increasingly confronted with the reality of climate change. According to the European Union’s climate monitoring service, last month marked the second warmest May on record, both on land and in our oceans.
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The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the average surface temperature of our planet dipped just below the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels—almost matching the May record set last year. In the oceans, the average surface temperature reached 20.79 degrees Celsius, making it the second warmest May to date, only behind May 2024.
“Large areas in the northeast North Atlantic experienced a marine heat wave, resulting in record-breaking surface temperatures for the month,” Copernicus noted critically. “In fact, the Mediterranean Sea was found to be significantly warmer than average.” This ongoing warming trend is driving marine species to migrate, jeopardizing ecosystems, and impeding the natural mixing of ocean layers, which is vital for nutrient distribution.
Oceans, which cover approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface, serve a pivotal role in regulating our planet’s climate. However, rising surface water temperatures, fueled by climate change, are also intensifying the severity of storms—a factor leading to unprecedented levels of destruction and flooding.
In Europe, “precipitation and soil moisture levels have reached their lowest since at least 1979,” according to Copernicus. The UK is grappling with its most intense drought in decades, while countries like Denmark and the Netherlands are likewise suffering from insufficient rainfall.
Last month, Earth’s surface temperature averaged 1.4 degrees Celsius above a pre-industrial benchmark—defined as the average from 1850 to 1900, prior to the extensive use of fossil fuels. Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, remarked, “May 2025 interrupts an unprecedentedly long sequence of months exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius.” Remarkably, all but one of the preceding 22 months saw temperatures surpass this critical threshold that aligns with the most ambitious climate targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement.
A man seeking shade in Noida, India exemplifies the human costs of these changes. Buontempo added, “Though this may provide a brief respite for the planet, we anticipate the 1.5-degree threshold will be exceeded again soon due to ongoing warming.” Over the period from June 2024 to May 2025, average warming reached 1.57 degrees Celsius when compared to the 1850-1900 benchmark.
Importantly, the Paris Agreement’s target is based on a 20-year average to accommodate natural variability influences. The UN’s climate science advisory panel, the IPCC, currently estimates that there is a 50% chance of breaching the 1.5-degree barrier between 2030 and 2035. By this calculation, the world has already warmed by at least 1.3 degrees Celsius.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) further adds that there is a 70% probability that the average temperature from 2025 to 2029 will exceed the 1.5-degree limit. Scientists emphasize the need to limit global warming as much and as soon as possible—every fraction of a degree matters. The IPCC concluded in its pivotal 2018 report that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees instead of 2 degrees could significantly reduce the most severe consequences we face.
“We can either choose to act now or continue to bear the consequences later,” serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of our responsibility in addressing climate change. Together, we can work toward a sustainable future.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
