Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has just released its annual global mean temperature forecast, giving early insight into global temperatures for 2026.

According to the report, Canada should be preparing for one of the hottest years on record.

Global Mean Temperature Forecast

Be careful what you wish for, especially if you’ve been hoping for some sunshine. ECCC’s Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis is reportedly “forecasting a global mean surface temperature in 2026 of 1.44 ± 0.09 °C above pre-industrial levels.”

This means that 2026 is going to be in the same temperature range as 2023 and 2025, which were the second and third hottest years on record to date.

According to the report, these increasing temperatures are partially due to the strong El Niño event in 2023-2024, made even worse by human-induced global-warming. It is virtually certain (>99%) that 2026 is set to be hotter than every year on record prior to 2023.  

‘Hottest Years On Record’ In Canada

“On average, Canada is warming at more than twice the global rate, with Northern regions warming about three times as quickly,” says ECCC. “These rising temperatures have been accompanied by increasingly extreme heat waves attributed to climate change.”

Looking at the heat map provided by ECCC, much of B.C. is predicted to have temperatures higher by 0.5-1.0 °C relative to a 1991 to 2020 baseline. It’s certainly hot as warm as the north, but it’s still warmer when compared to past years.

The Government of Canada is working to reduce emissions, according to a press release published on January 19. Canada is aiming to transition into a “cleaner and more competitive economy”, particularly through the Climate Competitiveness Strategy. This includes the enhanced oil and gas methane and landfill methane regulations that were announced last month.

Source: 604NOW