World Just Logged Its Second-Warmest July Ever, UN Warns

The planet has just experienced its second-warmest July on record, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed this week, as extreme heat, drought and wildfires continue to batter multiple regions simultaneously.
According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, average global surface temperatures last month were 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels, while sea-surface temperatures hit their highest point ever recorded for July. The UN agency is now urging governments to invest urgently in stronger early-warning systems to protect vulnerable populations.
Europe has been especially hard hit, with heat-related deaths across the continent topping 25,000 this year according to Bloomberg data. Wildfires have burned more than 1.23 million acres, mostly in Spain, France and Italy, while historically low water levels on the Danube forced Hungary and Romania to temporarily shut down nuclear reactors that depend on the river for cooling.
Closer to home for our readers, forecasters are also warning of heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslide risks this week across parts of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan — a stark reminder that South Asia remains among the regions most exposed to a rapidly warming world.