2024 warmest year on record in Europe, finds EU climate report

The latest European State of the Climate report illustrates clearly the impact of climate change in Europe and the Arctic. In 2024, Europe was the fastest-warming continent, with a clear climate divide – eastern parts suffered from extreme heat and drought, while western parts were extremely hot and humid. At the same time, it experienced the most widespread flooding since 2013. The report also records a few positive developments: European cities are becoming more resilient to climate change and in 2024 a record proportion of electricity was generated by renewables, at 45%. 

The report, compiled by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, presents extensive data on last year’s climate conditions in Europe and the Arctic. Key findings of the report include: 

• For the European region and for the Mediterranean Sea, the annual sea surface temperature was the highest on record
• Glaciers in Scandinavia and Svalbard saw their highest recorded annual rates of mass loss
• Western Europe saw one of the ten wettest years on record
• Southeastern Europe saw lower-than-average rainfall and its driest summer in a 12-year drought index record
• In Europe, there were record-high numbers of extreme heat days and tropical nights, while the area experiencing days with temperatures below freezing is decreasing. 

Extreme weather events present increasing risks to Europe’s urban areas. The report calls for urgent action to increase their resilience, particularly regarding flood risks. This action is essential to counter the expected increase in damage to cities from extreme weather, which could be up to ten times worse by 2100. 

Reducing the impact of climate change in Europe is a priority of the EU over the next five years. It is working on developing a European civil defence mechanism, building community resilience and setting out a European climate adaptation plan to support EU countries in coping with climate change.  

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