Copernicus Climate Change Service tops news as global temps spike; EU’s climate data backbone. C3S — EU service tracking warming.
Recent studies confirm that global warming has accelerated significantly since 2015, with the Earth heating at about 0.35°C per decade—nearly double the previous rate. February 2026 saw extreme rainfall and flooding in Western Europe, while Arctic sea ice reached its third-lowest extent on record. Compound heat and drought extremes are rising rapidly, increasing risks of flash droughts and ecosystem tipping points.
Western Europe has experienced unprecedented early-summer heat this week: the UK has broken its May temperature record twice, with provisional readings reaching 34.8–35.1°C in London and Heathrow, while France, Spain, Italy and Ireland have logged unusually high May temperatures. Scientists are linking the event to a north-African "heat dome" and human-driven climate change.