The annual report from the research network World Weather Attribution (WWA) shows that the global average temperature in the last three years has exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time compared to pre-industrial times.
In 2025, WWA identified 157 extreme weather events with widespread humanitarian impact. Floods and heat waves were the most common, followed by storms and wildfires.
Heat waves caused the most deaths. Although the true toll is believed to be high, a single heat wave in Europe is estimated to have claimed over 24,000 lives during the summer.
Worsened in Sweden
Of the 22 extreme weather events analyzed more closely, the researchers found that 17 were exacerbated by climate change or were likely caused by it. WWA's conclusion is that climate change has directly exacerbated heat in countries such as South Sudan, Mexico, Sweden and Norway.
Vulnerable groups and marginalized communities are hit hardest. In addition, a lack of data from the global South makes it more difficult to analyze local disasters.
Costs human lives
“Every year, the risks of climate change become less hypothetical and more of a brutal reality,” says Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London and report author.
She further says that decision-makers must realize that continued dependence on coal, oil and gas costs human lives, causes economic losses in the billions and leads to irreparable damage.
One of the conclusions in the report is that despite preventive measures, this year's extreme weather events are pushing some communities beyond their capacity to adapt.
