Seven of Earth’s key climate indicators have reached record extremes

Earth’s climate system is becoming increasingly unstable, with evidence suggesting that global warming is accelerating. According to the seventh annual international State of the Climate report, seven of the planet’s 16 vital climate indicators – approximately 44% – have reached record extremes, raising concerns about irreversible environmental changes and the growing risk of crossing critical climate tipping points.

The findings were published on 14 October 2026 in the scientific journal BioScience. The international research team, coordinated by Oregon State University and involving scientists from Germany, China, Australia and other countries, assessed changes in atmospheric greenhouse gases, global temperatures, ocean conditions, ice cover and other indicators of planetary stability.

Greenhouse gas concentrations and global warming reach new extremes

One of the most concerning findings is the continued accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In May 2026, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded 428 parts per million (ppm), approximately 50% above pre-industrial levels and higher than at any point in at least the past two million years.

The report also identified evidence of accelerating global warming. Between 1970 and 2010, average global temperatures increased by approximately 0.19°C per decade. Between 2010 and 2024, the estimated rate rose to 0.36°C per decade – nearly twice as fast.

Although researchers continue to investigate the precise causes and magnitude of this acceleration, the findings suggest that the climate system may be responding increasingly rapidly to accumulated greenhouse gas emissions.

Extreme temperatures are already producing measurable consequences. July 2026 was the hottest July on record across the contiguous United States, while global ocean temperatures reached a record high for that month. The study also warned that a potentially strong El Niño event could temporarily amplify warming further.

Melting ice, warming oceans and accelerating sea-level rise

The impacts are particularly visible in the world’s frozen regions.

Greenland’s ice sheet and global glacier thickness have fallen to record lows, while Arctic sea ice extent and Antarctic ice mass are approaching historical extremes.

Recent research indicates that extreme summer meltwater volumes from Greenland have increased sixfold over recent decades.

Meanwhile, the world’s oceans continue to absorb most of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases. Ocean heat content and global mean sea level have reached record highs, with warming seawater expanding and contributing significantly to rising sea levels.

According to the report, thermal expansion has accounted for approximately 56% of observed global sea-level rise over recent decades, with melting land ice responsible for much of the remainder.

Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average

Europe faces particularly significant risks from these global developments.

According to the 2025 European State of the Climate report, published in April 2026 by Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization, Europe is the fastest-warming continent.

In 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures. The continent also recorded its second most severe heatwave, while glaciers across every European region experienced net ice loss.

Extreme heat, water shortages and changing precipitation patterns are placing growing pressure on agricultural production, public health, ecosystems and infrastructure.

Southern European countries face particularly severe exposure to drought and wildfires, while northern and central Europe are increasingly affected by heatwaves and extreme rainfall.

Wildfires continue to destroy millions of hectares of forest

Globally, wildfires caused the loss of approximately 10.8 million hectares of tree cover in 2025, the third-highest annual figure on record.

Increasing fire activity creates a dangerous feedback mechanism: higher temperatures contribute to more intense fires, which release additional greenhouse gases and weaken the ability of forests to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.

The effects extend beyond carbon emissions, threatening biodiversity, degrading ecosystems and increasing risks to human health.

However, the report also identified encouraging developments. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon declined for the fourth consecutive year, showing that sustained environmental protection policies can produce measurable results.

Fossil fuel consumption continues to grow despite renewable energy expansion

Despite the accelerating deployment of clean energy technologies, global fossil fuel consumption increased by 0.9% in 2025.

Oil consumption rose by 1.0%, coal by 0.4%, and natural gas by 1.3%. All three reached record levels.

Annual energy-related carbon dioxide emissions also exceeded 41 billion tonnes for the first time, according to the study.

At the same time, renewable energy continued expanding rapidly. Global consumption of solar and wind energy increased by approximately 18% compared with 2024.

In 2025, low-carbon electricity sources – including renewables and nuclear power – supplied approximately 43% of global electricity generation. Renewables alone accounted for approximately 34%, overtaking coal as the largest category of electricity generation worldwide.

This demonstrates the central challenge of the energy transition: renewable electricity generation is growing quickly, but increasing global energy demand means that clean energy expansion has not yet translated into sustained reductions in total fossil fuel consumption.

Climate adaptation is becoming as important as emissions reduction

The report concludes that reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains essential, but mitigation alone is no longer sufficient to address the consequences of climate change already underway.

Countries must simultaneously accelerate decarbonisation and strengthen their resilience to increasingly frequent and severe climate hazards.

For Europe, this means developing climate-resilient infrastructure, expanding urban green spaces, improving water management, protecting natural ecosystems and investing in early-warning systems.

Advanced climate modelling and scenario analysis can also help governments and businesses assess long-term risks, allocate resources and evaluate adaptation strategies.

The findings highlight a growing urgency: climate change is no longer only a future environmental challenge. It is already reshaping ecosystems, economies and living conditions across Europe and the rest of the world.

Scientific evidence indicates that rapid emissions reductions, ecosystem protection and effective adaptation can still limit future damages. However, the window for avoiding the most severe and potentially irreversible consequences is narrowing.

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