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Jessica Rawnsley, BBC News
Global oceans reached their highest July temperatures ever recorded last month, reports BBC News. It says figures from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service show average sea surface temperatures outside polar regions hit 20.96C last month, beating the previous high of 20.89C in 2023. The broadcaster notes that this was “partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific”. The Financial Times notes that oceans also reached a new record in June this year. The newspaper says the Copernicus findings also show that this July was the joint-second warmest on record globally. It quotes Mark Maslin, a professor of earth system science at University College London, saying: “[I have] run out of expletives to describe the record-breaking weather we are seeing all around the world.”
MORE ON EXTREME HEAT
A new “2025 state of the climate” report from US scientists “paints a grim picture of the global climate”, reports Inside Climate News. Regions home to around 900 million people around the world experienced record-breaking heat in July this year, according to Agence France-Presse analysis of Copernicus data. Many countries in Europe are “bracing for another wave of extreme heat”, says France24. Another France24 article notes that almost 70% of France is under water-use restrictions amid worsening drought and heat.
Reuters
A large wildfire continues to burn in the south-west of Spain as “hot and windy weather fuelled other blazes raging across the country”, reports Reuters. It says more than 244,000 hectares of land has burned in 400 fires so far this year in Spain, based on estimates from the European Forest Fire Information System. It adds that this is six times larger than the area hit by fires by the same time last year. Agence France-Presse also reports that this July was Spain’s joint-warmest month since records began in 1961, according to the nation’s weather agency AEMET. The newswire notes: “Scientists have long warned that human-driven climate change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is increasing the length, frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves.”
MORE ON WILDFIRES
The Guardian: “People flocking to Spain to view solar eclipse could spark more ‘devastating’ wildfires.” Reuters reports that a woman died in a “fast moving” wildfire in British Columbia, Canada. Al Jazeera: “Wildfires burn across Indonesia as officials cite El Niño as a cause.” The Guardian covers this year’s “summer of historic wildfires” in the US states of Washington and Oregon. Politico: “Greece’s aging power grid blamed for catastrophic wildfires.” Daily Mirror: “Wildfires break out across Britain with families told to run for their lives.”
Andrew Freedman, CNN
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that July was the hottest month on record in the US, reports CNN. The outlet says the month saw “long, intense heat domes” across swathes of the country and “large wildfires” in some areas. The Guardian notes that average temperatures in July were 1.8C (3.3F) above the 20th century average for the “contiguous United States, which excludes Alaska and Hawaii”. A climate scientist tells the Associated Press that the US high temperatures, drought and fire conditions are “absolutely consistent with the climate change signal”.
MORE ON US
The top scientific body in the US has removed a climate-science chapter from a reference manual for judges following “pressure from Republican leaders, including President Trump”, reports the New York Times. CNN and Politico report that the Trump administration will stop federal support for a major annual report on the Arctic.
Pippa Neill, The Guardian
Almost three-quarters of England is officially in drought, reports the Guardian. The newspaper says that four more regions were declared to be in drought, adding to the seven regions under this status since last month. It quotes Royal Meteorological Society chief, prof Liz Bentley, saying: “[It is a] stark reminder that climate change isn’t just about rising temperatures – it’s making droughts develop faster and hit harder.” Reuters says the country’s “flash drought” has been “caused by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures”. The Daily Express says farmers have warned of a “brutal harvest” for crops due to the conditions. The Daily Mirror covers the drought on its frontpage, as does the i newspaper. On its frontpage, the Daily Telegraph says analysts warn that “Britain is facing its worst food security crisis in decades as repeated heatwaves risk ruining farmers’ harvests”.
MORE ON UK
The Guardian reports on its frontpage that the UK Fire Brigades Union says firefighters are under increased pressure from this summer’s wildfires. BusinessGreen: “Welsh government approves 200MW [megawatt] floating offshore windfarm in Celtic Sea.” The Guardian: “Octopus Energy urges millions of households to use less electricity during solar eclipse.” The Daily Express says Conservatives have “demanded” the government gets rid of an “idiotic” ban on petrol cars. [The policy was introduced by the Conservatives.] There is continued coverage in the Sun and Daily Mail of technical changes being made by the National Energy System Operator. The Daily Express says the Conservative party has “vowed” to stop environmental, social and governance policies, which the newspaper terms “woke ideology”, from impacting the value of pensions.
Xinhua
China’s new “five-year plan” for its coal industry aims to build a “modern” system by 2030, reports state news agency Xinhua. It says a “green” coal system will provide support for developing a new energy system, according to the document. The newswire continues that the plan sets out nine key tasks, including accelerating the low-carbon transformation of the sector and promoting the clean use of coal. The plan also calls for strengthening carbon reduction throughout the process and expanding the use of coal as an industrial feedstock, according to China Power News Net.
China will encourage the use of industrial sites for solar and wind power development and direct “green power” connection for mines, according to BJX News. It says China aims to raise coal-bed methane production to 26bn cubic metres by 2030, according to the plan. Coal-bed methane can improve coal-mine safety, increase clean-energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says an explanatory article carried by Xinhua. The Communist Party-affiliated newspaper People’s Daily published an article last week saying that fossil-fuel reserves, non-fossil energy supply and global energy cooperation strengthen the foundations of China’s energy security.
MORE ON CHINA
State Grid News reports that China’s power load hit a record high for the fourth time since summer, reaching 1,557 gigawatts (GW), 4.8GW above the previous record. Nikkei Asia: “Global EV prices drop below hybrids as low-cost Chinese cars spread.” The Wall Street Journal says Chinese solar panels have “popped up” across Cuba, helping provide much-needed power amid the country’s energy crisis. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, tells CGTN that China offers a “clear and replicable model for the world” in its response to fight climate change. A Global Times editorial says that “regional economic cooperation” between China and South Korea is safeguarding “livelihoods” amid “escalating” climate shocks.
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