The first half of the year brought intense weather extremes across multiple continents, including 50C heat in Australia and deadly 52C conditions in Pakistan. Catastrophic rainfall caused fatal mudslides in Brazil, inundated vast regions from East Africa to Russia, and fueled Super Typhoon Sinlaku's destructive path across the Pacific. Because the world's oceans absorb over 90% of excess planetary heat, researchers warn that an emerging El Niño will amplify global warming and drive future disaster risks even higher.
Key points
The United Nations declared a global state of emergency after ocean warming rates more th…: The United Nations declared a global state of emergency after ocean warming rates more than doubled over two decades.
Oceans hold over 90% of Earth's excess energy, meaning surging sea surface temperatures w…: Oceans hold over 90% of Earth's excess energy, meaning surging sea surface temperatures will accelerate future warming on land.
Officials at Cop31 stress that swift cuts to carbon emissions are required to prevent eve…: Officials at Cop31 stress that swift cuts to carbon emissions are required to prevent even more catastrophic weather events.
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After the world’s hottest summer since records began in 1850, the death toll from extreme weather in 2026 is already in the high tens of thousands. That is a conservative estimate and is certain to rise much higher.
As Cop31 continues and scientists warn that climate breakdown may be accelerating, the Guardian looks back at a year of droughts, fires and floods as a reminder that, unless the world takes urgent action to cut emissions, this disastrous year will be one of the best of the rest of our lives.
January
Fourth-hottest January on record
Extreme heat fuels wildfires in Australia
As temperatures jump nearly 20C (68F) above average, Victoria and other southern states register new heat records, including 50C in Port Augusta and the tiny opal mining town of Andamooka. Melbourne hospitals report a 25% increase in heat-related illnesses, while authorities in many areas struggle with wildfires. Scientists say the supercharged climate has made the heatwave five times more likely. Heatwaves already cause more deaths in Australia than all other natural hazards combined.
Decades of dedicated species protection efforts have driven a major recovery in global conservation rankings. Significant nesting increases in regional habitats demonstrate the tangible success of these long-term preservation measures. However, marine specialists caution that environmental pressures and human activities remain active challenges to the species' overall future.
Danny Williams and his family transferred the sensitive parcel north of St. Catharines to the Nature Conservancy of Canada to safeguard critical habitat in the Avalon Forest Ecoregion. The transfer enlarges the Salmonier River Nature Reserve to protect mature balsam fir stands that shield rare lichens from drying winds. This newly buffered zone also provides essential shelter for endangered bats and borders lands vital to caribou survival.
The National Environment Agency's decision marks the nation's inaugural project greenlight under its six operational bilateral climate agreements. Developed by Climate Bridge International, the intervention replaces biomass boiling with filtration systems to cut indoor pollution and carbon emissions across local communities. Beyond advancing clean water access, the venture generates high-integrity offsets aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.