The report, put together by around 100 researchers from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, shows that the average temperature across Europe has risen by approximately 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 Fahrenheit) since the Industrial Revolution in the mid-19th century. Iceland was the only exception, where temperatures were below average.
Globally, the average temperature has increased by 1.3 degrees Celsius, making 2024 the hottest year since weather records began.
According to Samantha Burgess, one of the report’s lead authors, “Ocean temperatures were exceptionally high, sea levels continued to rise, ice sheets and glaciers continued to melt, and atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases reached record levels again in 2024. Europe has been warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s.”
Record Summer Heat
Video: 2024 Sees Record Summer Heat
The record temperatures have had far-reaching consequences in 2024. Florence Rabier, the director-general of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which contributes to Copernicus, noted that extreme weather – fueled by human-caused climate change – continues to endanger the lives of Europe’s roughly 750 million people through floods, heatwaves, storms, or drought.
Floods and Extreme Heat
Major flooding in Spain’s Valencia region last October and November killed more than 220 people. The Spanish government has pledged €16 billion ($18 billion) in reconstruction and compensation. In July, Storm Boris caused extensive flooding in Central and Eastern Europe, affecting an estimated 413,000 people and resulting in the deaths of some 335 individuals.
Eastern Europe experienced particularly high temperatures and dry conditions, while droughts also occurred in Southern Europe, even during winter months. Western Europe, on the other hand, saw heavy rainfall that further increased the flood risk, as parched soils could not absorb water quickly enough.
Adapting to a Changing Climate
Celeste Saulo, the head of the World Meteorological Organization, emphasized that every fraction of a degree of temperature rise accentuates the risks to our lives, economies, and the planet. Adapting to climate change is therefore essential.
Despite the alarming weather trends, renewable energy production in Europe – solar, wind, and biomass – reached a new high in 2024. However, the report calls for European countries to strengthen early warning systems and climate adaptation measures to address the increasing risk of extreme weather and heat stress.
Video: Netherlands: Building Sponge Roofs to Prevent Flooding
While European cities are increasingly adopting climate adaptation plans to protect their citizens, with cities like Paris, Milan, and Glasgow leading initiatives such as creating extreme heat shelters, expanding green spaces, and building out flood protection measures.
This article was originally written in German.
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