Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ ↗
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SCIENCE

The Claim

The year 2025 had the highest global average temperature ever recorded in human history.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

The claim is false. Every major climate authority — WMO, NASA, Copernicus/ECMWF, Met Office, and NOAA — confirms that 2024, not 2025, holds the record for the highest global average temperature. WMO's consolidation of eight independent datasets ranked 2025 as second in two datasets and third in six, with none ranking it first. The year 2025 was among the warmest on record, but it did not set the all-time record.

Caveats

  • All eight datasets consolidated by WMO rank 2025 as second or third warmest — none rank it first. 2024 remains the warmest year on record.
  • NASA's 'effectively tied' language refers to 2025 vs. 2023, not 2025 vs. 2024. The same NASA source explicitly names 2024 as the hottest year on record.
  • Claiming overlap within measurement uncertainty makes a claim 'highest' is an equivocation — it does not match the plain meaning of 'highest ever recorded.'

The Receipts

  1. WMO confirms 2025 was one of warmest years on record

    WMO

  2. Global Temperature - Earth Indicator - NASA Science

    NASA Science

  3. 2025 continues series of world's three warmest years

    Met Office

  4. 2025 was the third-warmest year on record, Copernicus data show

    European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) / Copernicus

  5. 2025 was the third hottest year on record - Copernicus Climate Change

    Copernicus Climate Change Service

  6. 2025 — IPCC

    IPCC

  7. 2025 was the third-warmest year on record, Copernicus data show - ECMWF

    ECMWF

  8. NASA Releases Global Temperature Data

    nasa.gov

  9. NASA Releases Global Temperature Data - SPACE & DEFENSE

    NASA GISS

  10. New Climate Report Warns of Imminent Climate Tipping Point As Emissions Soar

    Earth System Science Data

+ 9 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

Copernicus Climate Change ServiceGlobal Average TemperatureNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationWorld Meteorological Organization

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