The World Meteorological Organization stated that extreme heat is affecting large numbers of people worldwide, while wildfires and air pollution are exacerbating the impacts of high temperatures. This highlights the importance of improving early warning systems and advancing heat health action plans.
On the 7th, the World Meteorological Organization issued a bulletin saying that data from several specialized meteorological agencies show that global heatwaves have been frequent recently, with record-breaking temperatures in many regions. According to data released by the EU climate monitoring agency Copernicus Climate Change Service, July 2025 was the third hottest July on record globally, with the average sea surface temperature also being the third highest on record. In Europe, this July, Sweden and Finland experienced unusually prolonged periods of temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, and southeastern Europe also faced heatwaves and wildfires. In addition, in July, temperatures in regions such as China and Japan were significantly higher than average.
According to data in the bulletin, last week, maximum temperatures in some parts of West Asia, southern Central Asia, most of North Africa, southern Pakistan, and the southwestern United States exceeded 42 degrees Celsius, with local areas exceeding 45 degrees. In southwestern Iran and eastern Iraq, local maximum temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius, causing power and water supply interruptions and school closures. Forecasts indicate that heatwaves will continue to affect these regions over the coming week.
Badur, head of climate monitoring at the World Meteorological Organization, pointed out that the combination of extreme near-surface heat and cold air aloft could lead to extreme rainfall and devastating mountain floods in high-altitude areas, further impacting people's lives and infrastructure, and potentially causing landslides.
The bulletin stated that extreme heat is fueling devastating wildfires. Wildfires in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey have forced people to flee their homes and caused multiple deaths. From late July to early August, hundreds of wildfires in Canada worsened air quality in several provinces of the country and in northern U.S. states.
The bulletin noted that the World Meteorological Organization is committed to improving early warning systems related to high temperatures and is cooperating with partners at all levels to advance heat health action plans.