Europe has officially become the fastest-warming continent on the planet, according to the 2024 climate report from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The findings paint an alarming picture: temperatures in Europe have risen by 2.4°C since the pre-industrial era, far surpassing the global average increase of 1.6°C.
The year 2024 marked the hottest on record in Europe, with sea temperatures climbing, glacier mass rapidly declining, and extreme weather events impacting nearly half a million people across the continent. While Southern and Eastern Europe faced record-breaking heatwaves and widespread drought, the Nordic countries witnessed an unprecedented loss of ice and snow.
Nordic nations on the frontline of climate change
Among the most dramatic findings is the rate of glacial melt in Scandinavia. Swedish and Norwegian glaciers lost an average of 1.8 meters in thickness during 2024 — the highest annual loss ever recorded in the region, and the fastest glacial retreat globally for that year. This includes iconic sites like the Kårsaglaciären in Lapland (Årsaglaciären), where collapse was already underway by the time rescue efforts began.
“It was a shock — and a real sorrow,” said Swedish glaciologist Erik Huss, who had hoped to mitigate the melting with protective materials.
The unusually warm summer in northern Sweden and Norway, coupled with a particularly low snowfall during winter, contributed to this rapid loss. According to Nina Kirchner, professor of glaciology at Stockholm University, these two factors created a perfect storm for accelerated melting in the region.
Why Europe is heating up so quickly
Experts point to a combination of geographical and meteorological factors. Europe’s large landmass absorbs and retains more heat than oceanic regions. Additionally, the weakening of the Gulf Stream, which traditionally brings warm water to Northern Europe, is altering weather dynamics and amplifying temperature increases.
“It is alarming when Europe is warming faster than any other continent,” said Adrian Lema, head of the Danish National Centre for Climate Research (Nationalt Center for Klimaforskning). “This means more frequent extreme weather events, from floods to droughts.”
Melting ice and snow also reduce the Earth’s albedo effect, reflecting less sunlight and accelerating further warming.
Severe weather extremes and their human toll
In 2024, extreme weather in Europe ranged from deadly floods in western regions, such as the catastrophic October flooding in Valencia, Spain, to widespread droughts in the southeast. Copernicus reports that 413,000 people were affected by flooding and storms, with at least 335 fatalities.
Western Europe experienced one of its ten wettest years since 1950, while sea temperatures across the continent averaged 0.7°C above normal. Meanwhile, the number of days with “strong” to “extreme” heat stress reached the second-highest level ever recorded.
A narrow window for action
Despite the grim data, the report offers a sliver of hope. Renewable energy sources made up 45% of Europe’s energy production in 2024 — a record high. However, experts warn that time is running out to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target.
“Every tenth of a degree we avoid matters,” said Celeste Saulo of the WMO. “The risks to lives, ecosystems, and economies are already clear, and adaptation must accelerate.”
To stay under the 2°C threshold, greenhouse gas emissions must be cut drastically — and immediately. In the meantime, Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway will continue to serve as a stark reminder of what is at stake in a warming world.
