Climate and environment updates: Atmospheric CO2 hits highest level in human history
June 11, 2025
The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heat waves are reshaping our way of life.
The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings and critical decisions that are shaping our future.
That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We are dedicated to providing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights necessary to navigate the climate realities of today — and tomorrow.
Latest Developments
The Earth has hit another climate milestone, and it’s a stark reminder that when it comes to climate change, the planet is moving in the wrong direction.
For the first time, the monthly average of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has surpassed 430 parts per million at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The May 2025 number is higher than it’s ever been in human history and marks a significant jump from the previous year.
Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego have been taking daily CO2 measurements from the Mauna Loa site since 1974.
“Another year, another record,” Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps CO2 Program, said in a statement. “It’s sad.”
Carbon dioxide is a key gas in Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect by trapping heat. Since the Industrial Revolution, its levels have increased due to rising human activities, particularly the emission of fossil fuels.
Researchers at the University of Utah, who participated in a 2023 study with nearly 100 scientists from 16 countries, found that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher than it has ever been in human history and the highest in at least 14 million years.
The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in our planet’s atmosphere has altered the planet’s weather patterns and intensified the frequency and severity of extreme events, such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, heavy rainfall and flooding, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
-ABC News meteorologist Kyle David
Last month was the second-warmest May on record globally, trailing only the previous May, according to new data analyzed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). And in the Northern Hemisphere, spring also ranked as the second-warmest on record, again behind 2024.
Notably, May marked the first month since July 2024 in which the global average temperature did not exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold established in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Instead, it registered 1.40 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial reference period (1850-1900). The Earth’s average surface air temperature came in at 60.42 degrees Fahrenheit, or 15.79 degrees Celsius.
A short-term drop in global temperatures was anticipated due to the recent La Niña event in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean, a climate pattern that typically brings a temporary dip in global average temperatures. However, climate scientists caution that this pause is unlikely to last, as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions continue to fuel the long-term warming trend.
Global daily sea surface temperatures across much of the world’s oceans remained well above average in May, with the second-highest value on record for the month, according to Copernicus.
Unusually warm sea surface temperatures across portions of the Atlantic Basin could play a key role in tropical cyclone development during the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which is now underway. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that Atlantic tropical cyclone activity will likely be above average this year, citing elevated ocean temperatures as a contributing factor.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a novel method for harvesting water from the air. If the breakthrough can be commercialized, the technology could eventually provide people with fresh water in areas where it’s scarce.
According to a report published in Science Advances, researchers created a unique material that traps water vapor from the air and harvests it as condensed water droplets. This new material is a spray-on polymer-silicone composite that can be applied to most surfaces.
The researchers say they came about this discovery by accident. While running other experiments involving polymers and water, a graduate student first noticed water droplets forming where they shouldn’t have been.
“This sort of unexpected phenomenon started happening. We got intrigued,” said Daeyeon Lee, chemical and biomolecular engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of the report.
Contrary to the researchers’ understanding of water droplets, they were surprised to find the water did not evaporate but instead remained on the material’s surface.
Researchers initially thought what they were seeing was the result of their local environment, but the water-harvesting feature of the new material was replicated at another lab in the United Kingdom.
“The phenomenon that we were observing was so unusual and unique that we wanted to see if it could be produced in somebody else’s hands,” said Lee.
While other water-harvesting methods and technologies are available, this material’s harvesting method is as close to a passive process as possible, making it incredibly accessible.
“We see these water droplets that are forming on the surface, and we want to see if we can now easily collect this water without spending much energy,” said Lee.
Although the product is still in its early stages, this material could eventually be used in water-scarce environments to supply water, and its spray-on form makes it very versatile.
“You can literally imagine this becoming like a paint,” said Lee. “Material that you can coat anywhere.”
Researchers are now working on developing a fine-tuned version of the material for arid environments.
-ABC News’ Charlotte Slovin
Although floods and hurricanes often dominate headlines, extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, according to the National Weather Service. And among all the extreme weather events, the science linking climate change to extreme heat is among the strongest and supported by the highest level of confidence.
Now, a new report by Climate Central, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and World Weather Attribution found that human-amplified climate change is responsible for exposing half the world’s population to an additional month of extreme heat.
Researchers examined the role of climate change in extreme heat events over a 12-month period, from May 1, 2024, to May 1, 2025. During that time, 4 billion people experienced at least 30 additional days of extreme heat due to climate change, according to the report, which has not been peer-reviewed. The study defined extreme heat as temperatures warmer than 90% of historical observations at a given location, compared to the average climate between 1991 and 2020.
The analysis also found that climate change at least doubled the number of extreme heat days in 195 countries and territories worldwide compared to a planet without global warming.
Last year was the planet’s warmest year on record and the first calendar year in which Earth’s global average surface temperature measured 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average, a key warming threshold established in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Released in advance of Heat Action Day, a global day of awareness and action on extreme heat, the authors of the report say their findings should serve as a warning about the dangers of extreme heat.
“These frequent, intense spells of hot temperatures are associated with a huge range of impacts, including heat illness, deaths, pressure on health systems, crop losses, lowered productivity, and transport disruptions,” World Weather Attribution researcher Mariam Zachariah wrote in a statement.
While early June does not mark peak heat in all regions, the organization emphasizes that designating a single, coordinated day delivers a strong global message. It aims to help individuals and communities everywhere prepare for the growing risks posed by extreme heat.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
Tropical forests, such as the Amazon rainforest, are often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth” because they absorb carbon dioxide and influence rainfall patterns, making them crucial for our survival and efforts to combat the climate crisis. However, a staggering number of acres were lost in 2024, with much of the loss attributed to wildfires.
Nearly 17 million acres of tropical forest were destroyed last year, according to the University of Maryland’s 2024 tree cover loss data displayed by the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch. That’s equivalent to 18 soccer fields every minute and nearly twice as much as was lost in 2023.
The new data found that fires accounted for about half that loss, marking the first time on record fires were the dominant driver of tropical forest destruction. That’s a significant change over previous years when fires were responsible for just 20% of forest loss.
Brazil, Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo were among the countries most impacted.
Fires eliminated 7 million acres of Brazilian tropical forest, making up 42% of the total loss. In Brazil, the flames, intensified by drought, propelled 66% of the forestry loss. Bolivia lost 3.7 million acres of tropical primary forest loss, a 200% increase. The Democratic Republic of the Congo lost 1.5 million acres and the Republic of Congo lost 150,000 acres, according to the research.
In other areas of Latin America, unprecedented fires accounted for at least 60% of forestry destruction in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and Guyana.
Despite these devastating losses, some countries have managed to preserve their forests, such as Indonesia, which experienced a 11% decrease in forest loss compared to the previous year, and Malaysia, which saw a 13% decrease year over year.
According to the research, the fires also released 4.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions back into the atmosphere, resulting from the destruction of trees that naturally absorb carbon dioxide.
“Forest fires and land clearing are driving up emissions, while the climate is already changing faster than forests can adapt. This crisis is pushing countless species to the brink and forcing Indigenous Peoples and local communities from their ancestral lands. But this isn’t irreversible — if governments, businesses, and individuals act now, we can stop the assault on forests and their custodians,” World Resources Institute Director of Forests and Nature Conversation Rod Taylor said.
-WABC’s Jordyn Pykon
In 2024, the planet achieved an unwanted milestone when it broke the mark for the warmest year on record. Unfortunately, that record isn’t likely to last long. According to a new forecast from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), global temperatures are likely to remain at or near record highs over the next five years.
The organization’s annual update to its decadal climate report shows an 80% chance that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will set a new annual global temperature record. It also warns that the planet is increasingly at risk of officially surpassing the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold established in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Last year was also the first calendar year in which the planet’s global average surface temperature measured 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. WMO estimates an 86% chance that at least one of the next five years will exceed this threshold.
The WMO also projects that the five-year warming average for the entire period of 2025 to 2029 is likely to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold. While this is a troubling trend, surpassing the threshold over a single year or even five years is not considered a failure to meet the Paris Agreement, as climate averages are analyzed over multiple decades. However, the latest findings show that a sustained breach of that climate threshold is becoming increasingly likely.
The report’s authors emphasize that every additional fraction of a degree of warming is significant. Present-day warming is already driving more harmful heat waves, extreme rainfall events and rising sea levels, impacts that are expected to intensify as the planet continues to warm.
“We have just experienced the ten warmest years on record. Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.
The Arctic region is warming significantly faster than the global average, making it a key area of concern, according to the report. Over the next five extended winters, from November to March, the average temperature anomaly in the Arctic is expected to be more than three and a half times greater than the global average recorded from 1991 to 2020.
Recent La Niña conditions across the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean make it very unlikely that 2025 will break last year’s global temperature record. However, as the WMO report notes, these pauses typically don’t last long. Unchecked greenhouse gas emissions from human activity will continue to drive long-term warming, threatening global temperature records for many years to come.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
Drought and extreme heat frequently coincide, drying out vegetation, which can lead to agricultural losses and increase the risk of wildfires. While previous studies have shown extreme heat can worsen drought conditions, much less is known about how drought might influence a heat event.
However, new research funded by NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System has found drought doesn’t just accompany heat, it can actually extend the duration of heat waves when the two overlap.
Researchers used air temperature, soil moisture and soil temperature data from dozens of weather stations across the country to examine the influence of drought on heat wave intensity, duration and human exposure to extreme heat. They found that the presence of drought conditions increased the average duration of heat waves by 12 to 48 hours at two-thirds of the stations analyzed in the recently published study in the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology.
While heat waves are more likely to coincide with drought in the western U.S., the study found that even in the eastern part of the country, heat waves occurring during drought conditions led to higher daily maximum temperatures. One likely driver of this connection is soil moisture. The researchers observed that dry soils not only suppress local evapotranspiration but can also retain more heat. That stored heat is then released into the atmosphere, contributing to elevated air temperatures.
According to the researchers, when a heat wave and drought overlap, people face a heightened risk of heat exposure due to both higher temperatures and longer periods of heat. The study’s authors suggest improved monitoring of soil moisture and temperature could lead to more accurate assessments of the wide-ranging impacts of extreme heat, including threats to public health and agriculture, as well as elevated wildfire risk.
Much of the Plains and Southwest are beginning meteorological summer, which starts June 1, under widespread drought conditions. According to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly 90% of Nebraska is experiencing a drought, while more than 60% of Arizona is facing an extreme drought (level 3 of 4). These regions are likely to see near- or below-average precipitation in June, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
Despite the Trump administration’s desire to roll back incentives, adoption goals and funding for electric vehicle (EV) programs and charging stations in the United States, there appears to be no stopping the forward momentum of EV sales throughout the world.
According to a new analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA), EV sales will account for one-quarter of the new cars sold worldwide by the end of 2025. The IEA says electric car sales will surpass 20 million units. That would mark a significant increase over 2024 when customers purchased 17 million EVs.
China continues to lead the world when it comes to EV adoption. Nearly half of all the cars sold last year in China were electric. The country can now boast that 1 in 10 cars on the road is an EV. Electric vehicle sales grew by nearly 10% in the United States, but the IEA anticipates a slowdown in EV adoption in the U.S. due to what the agency calls “today’s policy direction.” The agency significantly slashed its estimate for U.S. EV sales by more than half compared to last year. The IEA now forecasts that the sales share of EVs in the U.S. will grow by 20% by 2030.
But it’s a very different story across the globe. The IEA anticipates that more than 40% of cars sold worldwide will be electric by 2030. China is expected to hit 80%, and Europe’s share should be close to 60%. The IEA says Asia and Latin America are also becoming the new centers of growth for EV sales and adoption, accounting for 40% of global new vehicle sales.
In terms of charging, the IEA says it’s a mixed bag. While public charging stations have doubled globally in the last two years in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, the agency says public charger build-outs are not keeping pace with EV adoption. In comparison, the report cites China and the European Union as two regions that are keeping up with charger deployment and construction.
The IEA says the shift from gas-powered cars and trucks to EVs means the world will need less oil. By 2030, battery-powered EVs are expected to replace more than 5 million barrels of oil per day. However, they warn that lower gas prices could affect EV sales, as could potentially higher electric vehicle prices resulting from tariffs.
-ABC News’ climate and weather unit’s Matthew Glasser
More than 60 years have passed since the first satellite was launched into space, sparking an international space race that brought historic missions and a dramatic rise in the number of objects circling our planet. Today, we rely on thousands of satellites for communication, navigation and research. But as their numbers continue to skyrocket, so do concerns about the growing volume of space debris and its potential impacts.
The number of satellites in low Earth orbit, where most are found, is expected to surge in the coming years, growing from thousands to tens of thousands over the next 15 years, according to the Government Accountability Office. While most of these satellites burn up as they plummet back to Earth, some of the particles they leave behind in the atmosphere could have lasting effects as their numbers increase.
Falling pieces of space debris often attract attention, but little is known about the aerosols produced during reentry vaporization and their impacts on Earth’s atmosphere. For example, aluminum, one of the most widely used materials in satellite construction, vaporizes during reentry and forms alumina particles, which can accumulate in the atmosphere.
A recent study in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres explored what some of these impacts might be and when they could begin to have a notable effect. Researchers simulated how clouds of alumina vapor could impact Earth’s middle and upper atmosphere, finding that the amount of alumina from plummeting satellites would eventually be significant enough to alter conditions in the stratosphere and mesosphere, which are both part of the middle atmosphere.
According to the study, by 2040, there could be enough alumina in the stratosphere to influence temperatures and wind speeds in the polar regions, potentially affecting both the ozone layer and the polar vortex over the Arctic and Antarctic. Their results show alumina particles could heat the middle atmosphere near Earth’s poles by about 1.5 degrees Celsius, potentially reducing wind speeds in the Southern Hemisphere’s polar vortex by about 10 percent.
Previous research has shown that a weaker polar vortex in the Southern Hemisphere can promote warmer and drier weather conditions across eastern Australia, increasing the threat of dangerous wildfires during the spring and summer months.
Researchers speculate this may also help shrink the ozone hole over the South Pole each year, though the precise relationship between alumina and ozone chemistry remains unclear. Researchers note that some reentry scenarios also showed the opposite effect in the Northern Hemisphere, with possible strengthening of the polar vortex.
While more research is needed to fully understand how increasing space debris may affect Earth’s weather and climate, this study underscores the importance of investigating these potential impacts as our gateway to space becomes increasingly crowded.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
April 2025 was the second-warmest April on record globally, just behind April 2024, according to new data analyzed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Earth’s average surface air temperature was 58.93 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the planet may have fallen a little short of breaking another record, global temperatures once again exceeded the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold established in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, coming in at 1.51 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial reference period (1850 to 1900).
Last month marked the 21st of the previous 22 months to exceed the warming threshold identified by climate scientists as a critical limit to reduce the worst risks and impacts of human-amplified climate change. While this is a troubling trend, exceeding the threshold temporarily is not seen as a failure to limit global warming, as climate averages are analyzed over several decades.
Antarctic sea ice extent was 10% below average for the month. In the Arctic, the report found sea ice extent was 3% below average, marking the sixth-lowest April extent on record. The Arctic region is warming significantly faster than the global average and, after serving as a carbon sink for thousands of years, has become a source of carbon dioxide emissions due to rapidly rising temperatures and increased wildfire activity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Global daily sea surface temperatures across much of the world’s oceans remained well above average in April. Between the latitudes of 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north, the average global sea surface temperature was 69.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the second-highest value on record for the month, according to Copernicus.
Unusually, warm sea surface temperatures could play a key role in tropical cyclone development during the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1. NOAA is expected to release its official outlook for the upcoming season on May 22.
-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck
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