Severe storms and flooding across Europe last year affected 413,000 people and resulted in the loss of 335 lives, while wildfires impacted a further 42,000 individuals, according to a new report, reports RTE.
The combined financial toll of these events exceeded €18 billion.
The European State of the Climate Report, compiled by the World Meteorological Organization and the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, states that Europe is the fastest-warming continent on the planet, reports RTE.
The report warns that even a small rise in temperature heightens risks to human lives, economies, and the environment.
Europe recorded its warmest year on record in 2024, along with the second-highest number of days with significant heat stress and tropical nights.
There was a clear contrast in climate conditions between eastern and western Europe, with the east experiencing warmer and sunnier conditions, while the west was generally cloudier and wetter, reports RTE.
Southeastern Europe endured the longest heatwave ever recorded in the region.
Climate experts have cautioned that a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees could lead to 30,000 heat-related deaths annually across Europe, with the highest toll expected in the southeast, reports RTE.
In September, wildfires in Portugal scorched around 110,000 hectares of land in just one week—accounting for roughly a quarter of Europe’s average annual burnt area in that single period.
The number of days classified as having “strong”, “very strong”, or “extreme” heat stress were all the second highest ever recorded.
Overall, 60% of Europe experienced more days with at least strong heat stress compared to the long-term average, reports RTE.
Temperatures in western Europe were more variable, with some months seeing average or even below-average conditions.
Western Europe experienced one of its ten wettest years on record, while the continent as a whole saw the most extensive flooding since 2013, reports RTE.
Nearly a third of Europe’s river network experienced flood levels that exceeded at least the “high” flood threshold.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has noted that Europe faces one of the highest projected increases in flood risk globally, reports RTE.
The proportion of the continent experiencing freezing temperatures is declining.
In 2024, the number of cold stress days hit a record low.
Sea surface temperatures in European waters were at their highest levels ever recorded, reports RTE.
The Mediterranean Sea was 1.2°C warmer than its long-term average.
It was also the warmest year ever recorded for European lakes, reports RTE.
Glaciers in Scandinavia and Norway’s Svalbard experienced their most significant annual loss of ice mass. In fact, they recorded the largest glacier mass losses of any region worldwide.
On a positive note, 2024 also saw a record share of electricity generation from renewable sources, reaching 45%, reports RTE.
Globally, 2024 was the hottest year ever, and the first to surpass an average temperature of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said: “2024 was the warmest year on record for Europe. We observed the longest heatwave in southeastern Europe and record glacier mass loss in Scandinavia and Svalbard. But 2024 was also a year of marked climate contrasts between eastern and western Europe, reports RTE.
“The European State of the Climate is a treasure trove of quality information about our changing climate. Learning how to use climate data and information to inform our decisions should become a priority for all of us.”
The last decade has been the warmest on record, reports RTE.
Since the 1980s, Europe’s temperature has increased at twice the rate of the global average.
This is partly attributed to Europe’s Arctic territories—among the fastest-warming regions on Earth—as well as more frequent and intense summer heatwaves, reports RTE.
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