In brief
The Copernicus Climate Change Service says 2026 is virtually certain to exceed the 1.5 °C warming threshold, marking only the second calendar year after 2024 to do so. The service released a flash report stressing the need for urgent climate measures. The findings add fresh urgency to international efforts to keep global temperatures below the 1.5 °C target.
On Friday, the Copernicus Climate Change Service announced that the global average temperature in 2026 is virtually certain to exceed the 1.5 °C threshold above pre‑industrial levels, making it the second calendar year to surpass the target after 2024.
The notice followed a flash report issued earlier by the EU climate monitor, which added that the probability of breaching the 1.5 °C limit by 2026 is near certain.
Both releases, published simultaneously on November 6, 2026, highlight that the temperate rise is not accidental but a trend that is tightening the window for climate mitigation.
The July reports emphasize the urgency of immediate and decisive action—policy changes, emissions cuts, and investment in clean technology—to keep the global temperature curve down to 1.5 °C, the level set by the Paris Agreement.
