A recent report indicates that severe storms and flooding across Europe last year affected 413,000 individuals, resulting in the loss of 335 lives, while wildfires impacted an additional 42,000 people.
The total financial damage from these incidents exceeded €18 billion.
The European State of the Climate Report, produced by the World Meteorological Organisation and the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service, reveals that Europe is warming faster than any other continent.
The report cautions that each incremental increase in temperature heightens the risks to lives, economies, and the environment.
A noticeable east-west divide was observed in various climate metrics, with eastern regions experiencing sunnier and warmer weather compared to the cloudier and wetter conditions in the west.
Southeastern Europe recorded its longest heatwave in history.
Experts warn that global warming reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius could lead to an annual death toll of 30,000 in Europe due to extreme heat, with southeastern Europe expected to bear the brunt of this increase.
In September of last year, wildfires in Portugal scorched approximately 110,000 hectares of land within just one week.
This equates to roughly a quarter of Europe’s total annual area affected by fires, despite occurring in a single week.
A firefighter at work in Cascais, Portugal, in September of last year.
The recorded days with “strong,” “very strong,” and “extreme heat stress” were all at their second highest level ever.
Overall, 60% of Europe experienced an increase in the number of days with at least strong heat stress compared to the long-term average.
Western Europe exhibited greater temperature variability, with some months experiencing average or cooler than normal conditions.
Read more: March was the second warmest on record, according to the EU climate body. Retrofitting and electric vehicle charging points are central to the climate plan.
Western Europe had one of its ten wettest years on record, and the continent faced the most extensive flooding since 2013.
Nearly one-third of the river network encountered flooding that surpassed the ‘high’ flood threshold.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that Europe is among the regions globally facing the largest anticipated increase in flood risk.
The areas in Europe experiencing days with sub-zero temperatures are on the decline.
The year 2024 recorded the fewest “cold stress days” on record.
Annual sea surface temperatures in European waters were also at an all-time high.
The temperature of the Mediterranean Sea was recorded at 1.2°C above its long-term average.
Additionally, it was a record year for temperature in European lakes.
The Svartisen glacier in Norway pictured during summer 2024.
Glaciers in Scandinavia and Norway’s Svalbard experienced their highest annual rates of mass loss on record, representing the most significant loss of any glacier region worldwide.
The proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources reached a record 45%.
Globally, 2024 was marked as the warmest year recorded, with average temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.
Carlo Buontempo, Director of the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service, stated: “2024 was the warmest year on record for Europe. We noted the longest heatwave in southeastern Europe and unprecedented glacier mass loss in Scandinavia and Svalbard. Yet, 2024 also showcased significant climate contrasts between eastern and western Europe.
“The European State of the Climate is a valuable resource filled with quality information about our changing climate. Prioritizing the use of climate data and information to guide our decisions should be a common goal for all of us.”
The past ten years have been the warmest decade on record.
Since the 1980s, Europe has warmed at twice the rate of the global average.
This phenomenon is partially attributed to the proportion of European land located in the Arctic, the fastest-warming region on Earth, along with a rise in the frequency of summer heatwaves.
