Official data from the European Union confirms August 2026 was the hottest month on record globally. According to Copernicus, the EU’s Earth observation unit, global temperatures temporarily rose by 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels during the month. Experts attribute these unprecedented heat extremes to climate change driven by fossil fuel combustion.
Samantha Burgess, head of strategic climate at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stated: “Combined with record high global sea surface temperatures and the warmest summer ever recorded in Western Europe, these observations show how climate change is leading to extreme events in both the atmosphere and oceans.”
The month served as the culmination of a historic European summer marked by relentless heat waves, widespread forest fires, and severe droughts. In Spain, a record-breaking heatwave reached 45.7 degrees Celsius on September 4 in El Granado (autonomous community of Andalusia)—the highest temperature recorded in Spain this year and a historic September peak previously achieved in Montoro in 2016.
Agricultural reports indicate significant declines in crop yields across France, Italy, and Spain due to prolonged heat and drought. In France, the corn harvest for 2026 may drop by 35% to 9 million tons—levels not seen since 1980—with substantial reductions also observed in vegetable production.
