Climate change is continuing to reshape Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, ecosystems and human societies, with 2026 bringing further evidence of a rapidly warming planet. The World Meteorological Organization says 2015–2025 were the 11 hottest years on record, while 2025 was about 1.43°C above the 1850–1900 average in its assessment.
The latest 2026 climate indicators show that the warming trend has not stopped. In June, the Copernicus-backed Indicators of Global Climate Change project estimated human-induced warming at 1.37°C in 2025, with warming occurring at about 0.27°C per decade during 2016–2025.
At the same time, climate variability continues to influence individual years. The World Meteorological Organization reported that July 2026 was among the warmest Julys on record, alongside widespread heat, drought, fires and flooding.
What is climate change?
Climate change is a long-term change in the average conditions or variability of the climate, generally measured over decades or longer. It can result from natural processes, but the current rapid warming is primarily driven by human activities that increase greenhouse-gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
Climate change is broader than temperature alone.
It includes changes in:
- Air and ocean temperatures
- Rainfall and snowfall patterns
- Frequency and intensity of some extreme weather events
- Sea levels
- Glaciers and ice sheets
- Ocean chemistry
- Ecosystems and biodiversity
- Agricultural and water systems
The term global warming specifically refers to the long-term rise in Earth’s average surface temperature. Global warming is therefore one major component of the wider climate-change system.
What causes global warming?
The principal cause of today’s global warming is the accumulation of greenhouse gases produced largely by human activity.
The most important sources include:
- Burning coal, oil and natural gas
- Deforestation and land-use change
- Agriculture
- Industrial processes
- Cement production
- Waste
- Certain refrigerants and other industrial gases
The IPCC states that human activities, principally greenhouse-gas emissions, have unequivocally caused global warming.
How does the greenhouse effect work?
The greenhouse effect is a natural process that makes Earth habitable.
Certain gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-emit some of the heat that Earth radiates after receiving energy from the Sun. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the planet would be much colder.
The problem is the additional greenhouse gases produced by human activities.
Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases increase the amount of heat retained in the climate system. This produces long-term warming and changes in atmospheric, oceanic and ecological systems.
How much has Earth warmed?
There is no single number that describes every aspect of global warming because scientists use different baselines, datasets and methods.
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report found that global surface temperature was about 1.1°C above 1850–1900 during 2011–2020.
More recent estimates show that warming has continued.
The 2026 Indicators of Global Climate Change assessment estimated 1.37°C of human-induced warming in 2025 relative to 1850–1900.
Copernicus separately calculated that the average global surface air temperature in 2025 was 1.47°C above the pre-industrial reference level in its ERA5 dataset. It also found that 2023–2025 averaged more than 1.5°C above the 1850–1900 level for the first time in its dataset.
These figures should not be interpreted as meaning that the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature threshold has permanently been exceeded. A single year or short period above 1.5°C is different from sustained long-term warming above that level.
What is the 1.5°C climate target?
The 1.5°C figure comes from the Paris Agreement’s goal of holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.
The important distinction is between:
Temporary annual temperatures above 1.5°C
and
Long-term warming of approximately 1.5°C.
Earth has already experienced individual years and multi-year periods above 1.5°C relative to the pre-industrial reference period in several major datasets.
The 2026 Indicators of Global Climate Change assessment estimated that, if current emissions continue, human-induced warming could reach 1.5°C around 2030.
That does not mean every year after 2030 will automatically be above 1.5°C. It means the underlying long-term warming level is approaching that threshold.
Why are temperatures still rising?
The central reason is that humanity continues to add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide remains in the climate system for a long time, and the oceans and land absorb a substantial portion of human emissions. The climate therefore responds not only to current emissions but also to the accumulated greenhouse gases already present.
The 2026 Indicators of Global Climate Change assessment reported 2025 atmospheric concentrations of approximately:
- 425.6 ppm carbon dioxide
- 1,936.3 ppb methane
- 339.4 ppb nitrous oxide
It also found that all three major greenhouse gases had increased since 2019.
What are the effects of climate change?
Climate change affects both natural systems and human societies.
The IPCC has found widespread climate impacts across ecosystems, communities and infrastructure, including effects associated with increasing heat extremes, heavy precipitation, drought and fire weather.
Extreme heat
Higher average temperatures increase the likelihood of dangerous heat.
Heatwaves can increase risks to human health, particularly for older people, outdoor workers, people with existing vulnerabilities and communities without adequate cooling.
Cities can face additional exposure because buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb and retain heat.
Heavy rainfall and flooding
A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor, changing the conditions under which heavy rainfall occurs.
Climate change does not mean every flood or storm is caused by global warming. Individual weather events have multiple causes. However, human-induced warming can increase the intensity or probability of some types of extreme precipitation.
Drought and wildfires
Climate change can contribute to increased drought risk in some regions by raising temperatures and increasing evaporation.
Hotter and drier conditions can also create more favorable conditions for wildfire in vulnerable landscapes.
The WMO’s July 2026 climate update highlighted persistent drought and wildfires in parts of the Northern Hemisphere alongside severe heat.
Sea-level rise
Sea levels rise as the climate warms for two principal reasons: seawater expands as it heats, and melting glaciers and ice sheets add water to the ocean.
Higher sea levels increase the risks associated with coastal flooding, storm surges, erosion and saltwater intrusion.
Ocean warming
The ocean absorbs enormous amounts of heat from the warming climate.
The WMO’s State of the Global Climate 2025 report says the ocean has been absorbing an amount of energy each year equivalent to about 18 times annual human energy use, averaged over the past two decades.
Ocean warming can affect marine ecosystems, fisheries, coral reefs and weather patterns.
How does climate change affect India?
India faces several overlapping climate risks because of its large population, diverse geography and dependence on climate-sensitive sectors.
Potential impacts include:
- More dangerous heatwaves
- Changing monsoon rainfall patterns
- Flooding from intense rainfall
- Drought in vulnerable regions
- Glacier and snow changes affecting mountain water systems
- Coastal flooding and sea-level rise
- Agricultural stress
- Health impacts from heat and climate-sensitive diseases
The effects vary significantly by region. A climate risk affecting the Himalayan region may be very different from one affecting coastal India, central agricultural areas or major cities.
This is why climate adaptation needs to be locally designed rather than based on a single national solution.
Is climate change causing every extreme weather event?
No.
Climate change does not mean that every heatwave, flood, cyclone, drought or wildfire was caused entirely by global warming.
Weather events occur because of many interacting atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
However, climate science can determine whether human-induced warming has changed the probability, intensity or other characteristics of particular types of events.
The IPCC has concluded that human-induced climate change is already affecting weather and climate extremes around the world.
This distinction is important for accurate climate reporting.
What is happening to the climate in 2026?
The latest observations show that 2026 continues to experience significant climate extremes.
The WMO reported that July 2026 featured record or near-record land and sea temperatures, heat, drought, wildfires and flooding.
The organization also warned in its August–October 2026 seasonal outlook that a strong El Niño is developing and expected to strengthen, with above-normal temperatures forecast worldwide during the season.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern and is not itself caused by global warming. However, El Niño can temporarily add to global average temperatures and influence rainfall patterns.
This is another reason climate scientists distinguish between short-term natural variability and the underlying long-term warming trend.
Can climate change be stopped?
Climate change cannot be switched off instantly, but the amount of future warming can be substantially influenced by human decisions.
The central strategy is mitigation: reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and increasing removals of carbon dioxide where appropriate.
Important measures include:
- Expanding low-carbon electricity
- Increasing energy efficiency
- Electrifying transport and heating where practical
- Reducing methane emissions
- Protecting and restoring ecosystems
- Improving industrial efficiency
- Reducing deforestation
- Developing low-carbon technologies
- Reducing emissions from buildings and transport
The IPCC says rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions are necessary to limit warming, while mitigation and adaptation both play important roles in reducing climate risks.
What is climate adaptation?
Adaptation means adjusting societies, infrastructure and ecosystems to reduce the risks created by actual or expected climate change.
Examples include:
- Heat-warning systems
- Flood defenses
- Drought-resistant crops
- Improved water management
- Urban cooling
- Stronger building standards
- Coastal protection
- Climate-resilient infrastructure
- Early-warning systems for extreme weather
Adaptation is already happening around the world, but the IPCC says progress remains uneven and significant adaptation gaps persist.
Mitigation and adaptation are therefore not competing ideas.
Mitigation addresses the amount of future climate change. Adaptation addresses the risks that communities face from climate change that is already occurring or expected.
Can renewable energy solve climate change?
Renewable energy is an important part of reducing emissions, but climate change is broader than electricity generation.
Solar and wind power can reduce emissions from electricity when they replace fossil-fuel generation. Other sectors also need solutions, including:
- Heavy industry
- Aviation
- Shipping
- Agriculture
- Buildings
- Road transportation
- Cement and other industrial processes
The transition therefore involves an entire energy and economic system rather than a single technology.
What does the future of global warming look like?
The future depends heavily on future greenhouse-gas emissions.
The IPCC has emphasized that continued emissions lead to additional warming and increasing risks, while every increment of additional warming increases climate-related hazards.
This means the choices made during the coming years matter.
A world that reaches net-zero emissions rapidly would experience substantially less long-term warming than one in which greenhouse-gas emissions remain high for decades.
The climate system also contains delays. Even after emissions decline, some changes will continue because oceans, ice sheets and other components respond over long timescales.
What is the latest scientific consensus on global warming?
The scientific consensus is clear: human activities are the dominant cause of the current global warming trend.
The IPCC’s assessment states that human activities, principally through greenhouse-gas emissions, have unequivocally caused global warming.
The evidence comes from multiple independent lines of research, including atmospheric measurements, temperature records, ocean observations, ice measurements, satellite data and climate models.
At the same time, scientists continue to research uncertainties involving regional climate impacts, individual extreme events, clouds, ice-sheet behavior, carbon-cycle feedbacks and other parts of the climate system.
Scientific uncertainty does not mean that the underlying warming trend is uncertain.
Climate change in 2026: Key facts at a glance
| Indicator | Latest finding |
|---|---|
| Hottest decade | 2016–2025 was the warmest decade in the latest WMO assessment |
| 2025 global temperature | About 1.43°C above 1850–1900 in WMO’s assessment |
| Human-induced warming in 2025 | About 1.37°C, according to the 2026 IGCC assessment |
| CO₂ concentration in 2025 | About 425.6 ppm |
| 2026 July | Among the warmest Julys on record |
| Main driver of current warming | Human greenhouse-gas emissions |
| Major responses | Mitigation + adaptation |
| Current major climate outlook | Strong El Niño developing for late 2026 |
The different temperature figures above use different methodologies and should not be treated as contradictory measurements of exactly the same quantity.
FAQ
What is climate change?
Climate change is a long-term change in Earth’s climate conditions, including temperature, rainfall and other atmospheric and oceanic characteristics. Today’s rapid warming is primarily caused by human greenhouse-gas emissions.
What is global warming?
Global warming is the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature. It is a major component of the broader climate-change process.
What causes global warming?
The primary cause of current global warming is human-produced greenhouse gases, particularly emissions associated with fossil fuels, land-use change and other industrial and agricultural activities.
Is global warming still happening in 2026?
Yes. The latest climate assessments show that the long-term warming trend is continuing. WMO reported that 2015–2025 were the 11 warmest years on record.
Was 2025 the hottest year ever?
Different major datasets rank 2025 differently. Copernicus ranked 2025 as the third-warmest year, while WMO assessed it as the second or third warmest, depending on the dataset. 2024 remains the warmest year in the Copernicus record.
Has the world already crossed 1.5°C?
Individual years and short periods have exceeded 1.5°C relative to 1850–1900 in several datasets, but this is different from permanently exceeding the Paris Agreement’s long-term 1.5°C warming level. Copernicus reported that 2023–2025 averaged more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial reference level.
What are the effects of climate change?
Major effects include increasing heat risks, changes in rainfall, sea-level rise, ocean warming, glacier and ice loss, ecosystem disruption and greater risks from some extreme weather events.
Can climate change be reversed?
Some climate impacts can be reduced or eventually reversed if warming is limited, but certain changes—particularly involving oceans, ice sheets and ecosystems—can persist for long periods. Rapid emissions reductions can limit additional warming.
What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation?
Mitigation reduces greenhouse-gas emissions or increases removals to limit future warming. Adaptation reduces vulnerability to climate impacts that are already occurring or expected.
What is the climate outlook for late 2026?
The WMO expects a strong El Niño to develop during August–October 2026, with above-normal temperatures forecast worldwide and significant regional changes in rainfall.
“Sources Used“
https://www.ipcc.ch/help/frequently-asked-questions/
https://wmo.int/publication-series/state-of-global-climate/state-of-global-climate-2025
What happens next?
Climate monitoring will remain critical through the rest of 2026.
The immediate outlook includes a developing El Niño, which could influence global temperatures and rainfall patterns in coming months.
At the longer-term level, governments and industries face the larger challenge of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions while adapting infrastructure and communities to unavoidable climate risks.
The IPCC is also now in its Seventh Assessment Cycle, which began in 2023. Its next major assessment reports will examine the physical science of climate change, impacts and adaptation, and mitigation. The synthesis report is scheduled for the end of the current cycle, with the IPCC currently expecting it in 2029.
Bottom line
Global warming is continuing in 2026, and the evidence shows that human greenhouse-gas emissions are the dominant cause of the long-term temperature rise. The latest assessments show record or near-record temperatures, continued ocean warming and increasingly serious risks from heat and other climate extremes.
The most important distinction is between the warming already locked into the climate system and the additional warming that can still be influenced by future emissions.
Climate change is therefore both a present-day reality and a future risk. Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions can limit additional warming, while adaptation can reduce the damage from climate impacts that are already occurring.
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