Global Temperatures Reach Second Highest April on Record

The ongoing rise in global temperatures due to climate change continues to be a significant concern, as April 2025 has been recorded as the second warmest April since weather observations began. According to the European Earth observation program Copernicus, the average global temperature for land areas reached 14.96 degrees Celsius, which is 0.6 degrees above the average for April from 1991 to 2020. Only April 2024 experienced a higher average temperature of 15.03 degrees Celsius.

Unlike last year, when the climate phenomenon El Niño contributed to the temperature increase, predictions for 2025 indicated a cooling influence from La Niña. However, the sharp rise in global warming has persisted. Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, noted that the reasons behind this acceleration are not yet fully understood, but it is a troubling indicator.

Since 2023, global average temperatures have consistently approached or set new records. In fact, Copernicus reported that in 21 of the past 22 months, the average global temperatures have exceeded the pre-industrial levels by at least 1.5 degrees, with April 2025 reflecting an increase of 1.51 degrees compared to those levels.

The international community established a goal in the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius, with an aim for 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. This target is based on a multi-decade average. However, many experts believe that the ongoing reliance on fossil fuels, such as oil, makes it increasingly difficult to adhere to this limit.

According to Copernicus's calculations based on temperature trends over the past 30 years, the planet is on track to permanently exceed the 1.5-degree warming threshold by June 2029. The implications of each incremental increase in temperature are profound, as experts warn that climate change is likely to exacerbate weather extremes, leading to more frequent droughts, storms, and heavy rainfall events.