Comet 3I/ATLAS makes its closest approach to the Earth.

Comet 3I/Atlas will make its closest approach to the Earth on Friday 19 December 2025, when it will reach a distance of 1.80 AU (i.e 1.8 times the average distance between the Earth and the Sun), or 269 037 114 km from us. At this time it will be in the constellation of Leo, and have an apparent optical magnitude of 11.4, meaning it will be hard to spot without a fairly good telescope to observe it. Nevertheless, this closest approach falls coincides with the New Moon, so observers with appropriate equipment may be able to see it in the late evening (the comet will set before midnight).

The approximate positions and orbits of the 3I/ATLAS, the Earth, and the planets of the Inner Solar System on 19 December 2025. JPL Small Body Database.

3I/Atlas was discovered on Tuesday 1 July 2025 by scientists at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, who observed a body 4.53 AU from the Sun (i.e. 4.53 times as far from the Sun as the planet Earth) between the constellations of Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius, which was given the provisional designation A11pl3Z. This object was travelling towards the Inner Solar System at a speed of 65 km per second, on what appeared to be a more-or-less straight trajectory, highly unusual in a body orbiting the Sun.

Discovery images for object A11pl3Z. ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA/Wikimedia Commons.

A series of follow-up observations  by both professional and amateur astronomers confirmed that the body was a comet on a hyperbolic trajectory (a trajectory which will take it straight through the Solar System and out into interstellar space. Most such parabolic comets derive from the Oort Cloud, a vast disc of thinly spread cometry bodies between 2000 and 200 000 from the Sun. These comets are knocked from their orbits be close encounters with other bodies, plunge through the Inner Solar System once, then vanish into the depths of space. 

Full discovery image for 3L/ATLAS. University of Hawaii/NASA/Wikimedia Commons.

However, two previous comets have been found to be on trajectories which cannot be explained in this way, these being 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, and on Tuesday 2 July it was confirmed that A11pl3Z was a third such body, leading to it being given the designation 3I/Atlas, in which the 'I' stands for 'Interstellar body', the '3' indicates that it was the third such body discovered, and 'ATLAS' refers to the ATLAS asteroid impact early warning system, which discovered the object.

Follow up image of 3I/ATLAS made by the system Las Cumbres Observatory on 2 July 2025. European Space Agency.

However, two previous comets have been found to be on trajectories which cannot be explained in this way, these being 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, and on Tuesday 2 July it was confirmed that A11pl3Z was a third such body, leading to it being given the designation 3I/Atlas, in which the 'I' stands for 'Interstellar body', the '3' indicates that it was the third such body discovered, and 'ATLAS' refers to the ATLAS asteroid impact early warning system, which discovered the object.

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2025 on course to have been the joint-second-warmest year since records began.

With temperature measurements now available for eleven of twelve months, 2025 is currently tied with 2023 as the second-warmest year on record, with 2024 remaining the warmest recorded year, according to a press release issued by the European Copernicus Climate Change Service on 9 December 2025. November 2025 was the third warmest November on record (behind 2024 and 2023), with notably-warmer-than-average temperatures particularly prevalent over Canada and the Arctic Ocean. The month also saw a number of extreme weather events, including a series of tropical cyclones across Southeast Asia, which caused catastrophic flooding over a wide area.

Annual global surface air temperature anomalies (°C) relative to the 1850–1900 pre-industrial reference from 1967 to 2025. The value for 2025 is based on data for January to November. Copernicus Climate Change Service.

November 2025 was the third warmest November on record, with an average surface air temperature of 14.02°C, which was 0.65°C warmer than the November average for the period 1991-2020. It was, however, 0.20°C cooler than the average for the warmest November on record, in 2023, and 0.08°C cooler than the average for the second-warmest November on record, 2024. November 2025 was also 1.54°C above the estimated average temperature for the period 1850-1900, taken as the pre-industrial reference point. It was the second consecutive month to be more than 1.50°C above this reference, and the sixth such month in 2025, the figure having previously been exceeded in January, February, March, April, and October. It is now almost certain that 2025 will be one of the three warmest years since records began, unlikely to be warmer than 2024, but closely tied with 2023 to be the second-warmest year. It is possible that the average temperature for 2025 will not be 1.5°C above the pre-industrial reference, it is now almost certain that the average for the three year period 2023-2025 will be, the first recorded three-year period to be this warm.

Monthly global surface air temperature anomalies (°C) relative to the 1850–1900 pre-industrial reference period from January 1940 to November 2025, plotted as time series for each year. The year 2025 as well as the two warmest calendar years are shown in colour: 2025 in dark red, 2024 in orange, and 2023 in yellow. All other years are shown with thin grey lines. Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The global average temperature for the period September-November 2025 was the third highest on record, 0.67°C above the average for period 1991-2020, with only the years 2023 and 2024 having been warmer. The temperature was particularly warm over northern Canada, the Arctic Ocean, and Antarctica, but cooler than average over northeastern Russia.

The average land temperature over Europe was 5.74°C, 1.38°C above the average for the period 1991-2020, and making it the fifth-warmest November ever recorded in Europe. Temperatures were furthest above average over Eastern Europe, European Russia, the Balkan Peninsula, and Turkey. However, below average temperatures were encountered present over northern Sweden, Finland, Iceland, southern Germany, and northern Italy. Beyond Europe, temperatures were particularly high over both polar regions, northeastern Canada, the Canadian archipelago, the United States, the Arctic Ocean, and East Antarctica. Temperatures were notably below average over Siberia and northeastern Russia.

The period September-November 2025 was the fourth warmest such interval recorded in Europe, 1.06°C above the average for the period 1991-2020. Over this period, temperatures were notably warmer over Fennoscandia and European Russia, but near-average over Western and Central Europe.

The average sea surface temperature between 60° north and 60° south was 20.42°C in November 2025, making it the fourth warmest November measured by this metric, and 0.29°C cooler than the warmest recorded November, in 2023. Sea surface temperatures were particularly warm over the North Pacific, with record high temperatures recorded in the western North Pacific. However, temperatures over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific were near, or slightly below, average, probably due to a developing weak La Niña system. Record breaking temperatures were also recorded over the Norwegian Sea and the Coral Sea off the east coast of Australia.

Surface air temperature anomaly for November 2025 relative to the November average for the period 1991-2020. Copernicus Climate Change Service.

November was wetter than average across the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, northwestern Russia, and much of the Balkan Peninsula, particularly Albania and Greece. The wet conditions over Western Europe were partly fuelled by Atlantic Storm Claudia. At the same time, Iceland, southern Spain, northern Italy, central Germany and Sweden, were drier than average, and conditions in southwestern Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey were close to drought level. Outside Europe, wetter than average conditions affected  the southwest USA, parts of northern Canada, northwestern Russia, Taiwan, southern Africa, Madagascar, and coastal regions of Australia. Flooding and related events, brought on by a combination of several tropical cyclones and a particularly heavy monsoon season, killed over 1100 people across South and Southeast Asia. At the same time, northern Mexico, the southeastern USA, much of western and central Asia, and southern Brazil had drier than normal conditions.

The period September-November 2025 was wetter than average across the UK, Ireland, most of Scandinavia, western Iberia and the southeastern part of Spain, and Central Europe. Romania and the Balkan Peninsula were drier than average in September, but wetter than average on October and November. Drier than average conditions were present over northern Italy, southern France, the larger  islands of the Mediterranean, and much of Eastern Europe including Turkey and western Russia. Much of Iberia remained dry, with persistently low soil humidity. Iceland began this period with dryer than average conditions, but ended with wetter than average conditions. 

Outside Europe, wetter than average conditions were prevalent from September to November over the western United States, Alaska, northwestern Mexico, the Korean Peninsula, eastern China, central Asia, southern Africa, Madagascar, the northern coast of Australia, and New Zealand. At the same time, drier than average conditions affected the southern and eastern United States, much of western Asia, southern Brazil and southeastern Australia. 

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Ghanaian government bans mining in forest reserves.

The Ghanaian Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology has re-imposed a ban on small-scale mining in forest reserves in order to halt deforestation and protect natural water bodies. Ghana is Africa's largest producer of gold, but, as in many other countries, much of the gold is extracted by large companies, who contribute to the national revenue but employ a relatively low number of workers, leading to the impression amongst much of the population that they are not benefiting from the industry. Since a large section of the Ghanaian population lacks formal employment, being dependent on subsistence farming, fishing, or 'hustling' (participation in the informal economy), this can be a matter of contention, and has led to frequent raids on mining concessions by informal, artisanal miners.

Damage caused by an illegal mining camp in the Neung Forest Reserve in Ghana's Western Region. Festus Randy Jackson-Davis/Pan African Visions.

In an effort to combat this, in 2022 the Ghanaian Government introduced the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations, which allowed small scale mining in forest reserves, under a permit system. However, three years on, widespread, and unregulated, artisanal mining is reported to have led to environmental damage in 13 of the 16 regions of Ghana, in places threatening waterways vital for the country's Cocoa crops, while mining companies still report incursions onto their property. This in turn has led to a campaign by environmental groups in the country to reimpose the banning of mining in these areas.

The Ghanaian authorities plan to unveil a new, more tightly controlled system of permits for small-scale mines in the country, in line with the system of timber licensing it introduced earlier this year. It remains to be seen, however, how well the government will be able to enforce these new regulations, and to what extent they will be accepted by sections of the population with few other options for income generation.

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Tapanuli Orangutans brought closer to extinction by Cyclone Senyar.

The Tapanuli Orangutan, Pongo tapanuliensis, is thought to have moved significantly closer to extinction after Cyclone Senyar passed across Sumatra on 25 November 2025. The species, which was only discovered in 2017, is considered to be the world's rarest Ape, with a population of about 800 all living within an area of less than 1000 km² in North Sumatra. It is considered to be Critically Endangered under the terms of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.

A male Tapanuli Orangutan, Pongo tapanuliensis. Maxime Aliaga/Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program.

Cyclone Senyar caused more than 1000 mm of rain to fall in a day in parts of North Sumatra, triggering a series of catastrophic floods and landslides which killed over a thousand people on the island. The three districts where the species is found, North, Central, and South Tapanuli, have been particularly badly hit, with satellite images showing that between 48 and 72 km² of the forest inhabited by Tapanuli Orangutans has been destroyed, according to Erik Meijaard of Borneo Futures, who has been studying the storm's impact on the Apes. This could potentially equate to between 33 and 55 Orangutans, or between 6.2% and 10.5% of the total population.

So far, only a single dead Orangutan has been found, leading to the possibility that the Apes may have been able to escape the area before the worst of the event, although this is not typical Orangutan behaviour; they usually seek the nearest shelter and attempt to wait out large storms. Even should this have been the case, the storm appears to have destroyed large areas of their native habitat, including food sources, which makes it likely that more Orangutans will be lost in the near future. 

A dead Tapanuli Orangutan found amid storm debris in the village of Pulo Pakkat, North Sumatra, following the passage of Cyclone Senyar. Decky Chandra/The Guardian.

The population was already considered to be threatened by the expansion of mining, hydropower projects and palm oil plantations, within their habitat, as well as a rapidly changing environment, with global warning already having led to an increase in rainfall of between 28 and 160% across Sumatra. One possible benefit to the Orangutans is that the Indonesian government has ordered a halt to all new development projects in the Tapanuli area, pending a survey of the region, which may lead to their gaining some extra long-term protection. The government has also indicated its support for forest restoration projects in the region, which could lead to an increase in the available habitat for the Apes.

The storm is also reported to have completely destroyed the Ketambe Research Station, within the Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh Province, which was the first specialist Orangutan research centre in the world, opened in 1971 by Dutch primatologist Herman Rijksen, and a leading centre for research into the Sumatran Orangutan, Pongo abelii, which is also considered to be Critically Endangered.

Damage caused to the Ketambe Research Station, within the Gunung Leuser National Park by Cyclone Senyar. American Association of Zookeepers. 

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United Nations recognises three conservation projects as new World Restoration Flagships.

The United Nations has recognised three conservation projects as World Restoration Flagships, according to a press release issued by the United Nations Environment Program on 4 December 2025. World Restoration Flagships are projects intended to have large-scale and long-term impacts, held up as examples which embody the 10 Restoration Principles of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). World Restoration Flagships already cover an area of over 10 million km², an area larger than China.

The first new project recognised is the Shellfish Reef Building Program in Australia. This project, a partnership between the Nature Conservancy and the Australian Government, aims to restore reefs of Oysters and Mussels which were once found around much of the southern coast of Australia but which have been greatly depleted by over-harvesting, sedimentation and pollution.

Globefish amongst Mussels and restored shellfish reef in Dromana, Port Phillip Bay. Jarrod Boord/Streamline Media in Reef Builder (2024).

Since its inception in 2020, the Reef Builder Program has worked with local communities to restore reefs at thirteen locations along the southern coastline of Australia; it aims to restore 30% of Australia's original shellfish reefs by 2030. The project has generated over 425 jobs, and about US$10 million in income for over 50 small and medium sized businesses, as well as helping local communities to reconnect to nature and promote stewardship over the natural environment.

The second project recognised is the Respectful Returns Initiative in Canada, a partnership between Parks Canada and local and Indigenous communities, which aims to restore damaged rivers and streams in seven national parks along Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts. 

Salmon being released into the Bay of Fundy as part of the Respectful Returns Initiative. Parks Canada.

Since its initiation in 2010, the Respectful Returns Initiative has restored over 650 km² of land and 228 km of waterways, created over 100 jobs, supported research projects by three universities, and formed partnerships with 32 local organisations and community groups. The Salmon population has increased at six of the seven locations where the Initiative works. The Initiative aims to both protect Salmon and to strengthen the connection between the population and their environment. 

The third project recognised is the Thicket Restoration Movement in South Africa, a collaboration uniting over 60 initiatives in Eastern and Western Cape provinces, which aims to restore over 8000 km² of indigenous subtropical thicket by 2030.

Replanting a Kuzuko Thicket in South Africa. AfriCarbon. 

These thickets serve as a grazing resource for both wild Mammals and livestock, particularly under drought conditions, which is an important consideration following the drought of 2023/4, which is the worst the region has suffered in over 100 years. It is a particularly important resource for threatened species such as Black Rhinoceros and African Bush Elephant, and is also a significant carbon reserve, with soils covered by thicket retaining notably more carbon than exposed soils. It is estimated that restoring these thickets sequesters around eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The project is also predicted to directly create over 1000 jobs in rural communities, as well as improving the lives of around two million people.

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