What the sources establish
- WMO reported 2025 as the second or third warmest year, depending on the dataset.
- The global temperature estimate was about 1.43°C above the 1850–1900 average.
- The years 2015–2025 were the eleven warmest on record.
How to read the bigger picture
A lower annual reading than 2024 does not establish reversal of the longer-term warming trend. Annual variability and multidecade change answer different questions; regional impacts add another distinct layer.
What we should keep in view
- Annual rankings vary across datasets.
- A single-year threshold is different from a long-term policy goal.
- These annual figures are not a full-year 2026 measurement.
What would change the picture?
- Read annual temperature alongside multidecade trends.
- Track ocean heat and regional impacts as separate indicators.
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