The catastrophic storms and floods that hit Europe in the past year affected over 413,000 people, according to a recent report. This disaster was exacerbated by fossil fuel pollution, which led to the continent experiencing its hottest year on record.
In 2024, Europe witnessed dramatic flooding, with high floods affecting 30% of its river network, and “severe” flood levels in 12%, based on the European State of the Climate report. Cars were piles along flooded streets, and bridges were destroyed by the torrential waters.
The most devastating floods occurred in central Europe in September and eastern Spain in October. These two events were responsible for more than 250 of the 335 flooding deaths across the continent.
Research suggests that these disasters were more intense and frequent due to global heating, which increases the amount of rain clouds can dump.
Celeste Saulo, director general of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), stressed that every additional fraction of temperature rise matters and societies must adapt to the changing climate.
The report, published by the EU’s Copernicus climate change service and the WMO, also found record numbers of days with severe heat stress across whole regions, including South-eastern Europe’s longest heatwave on record.
Globally, the highest temperatures ever recorded were noted, including devastating wildfires in Portugal that consumed over 100,000 hectares in a week.
European Climate Report Highlights
- 2024: Europe’s hottest year on record, with significant flooding affecting 413,000 people.
- Central Europe and eastern Spain suffered the most from extreme flooding events.
- Global warming intensified these natural disasters, increasing the frequency and severity of both heatwaves and floods.
- Europe’s western regions experienced excessive rainfall and cloudiness, while the eastern parts endured higher temperatures and sunny conditions.
- There is a pressing need for rapid climate action and adaptation to the effects of global heating.
With climate change causing catastrophic disruptions in 2024, the report calls for urgent action to update climate targets and cease expansion of fossil fuel projects to mitigate future disasters.
