Europe's warming trend surpasses global rates, says report

Recent findings reveal Europe as the continent warming the fastest globally, with significant impacts on public health and the environment.

Jamey Keaten reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

• Europe's average temperatures have risen to 2.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, almost double the global increase.
• Extreme weather, including heatwaves and floods, caused significant economic losses and human fatalities across Europe last year.
• The economic losses of weather and climate events were estimated at more than 13.4 billion euros (about $14.3 billion) in 2023.

Key quote:

"Europe saw yet another year of increasing temperatures and intensifying climate extremes — including heat stress with record temperatures, wildfires, heat waves, glacier ice loss and lack of snowfall."

— Elisabeth Hamdouch, deputy head of unit for Copernicus at the EU’s Executive Commission.

Why this matters:

Scientists predict that if global temperatures continue to rise, Europe will see and increase in climate-related economic loss and negative health outcomes, like deaths linked to extreme heat and wildfires, droughts and flooding.

Last yearEHN spoke with heat equity experts about how young people can work toward protecting the most vulnerable from extreme heat and advancing climate justice.