Europe experienced its warmest year on record in 2024, according to the "State of the European Climate 2024" report.
The report, compiled by around 100 scientists from the EU's Copernicus program and the World Meteorological Organization, reveals alarming consequences of rising temperatures.
Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average. Sea temperatures were exceptionally high, sea levels continued to rise, and ice sheets and glaciers continued to melt.
Extreme weather events impacted the lives of approximately 750 million people in Europe. Storms and floods affected 413,000 people, resulting in at least 335 fatalities.
The number of days with extreme heat stress was the second highest on record. While emissions continue to rise globally, Europe generated a record amount of energy from renewable sources in 2024, with 45% of electricity coming from climate-friendly sources.
More than half of European cities are developing plans to adapt to extreme weather conditions. Infrastructure for climate protection is rapidly developing in cities like Paris, Milan, the Netherlands and Glasgow.