In 2025, almost no part of Europe will be untouched by extreme weather and hot temperatures. The continent endured unprecedented heat waves, experienced its largest wildfires and recorded the hottest sea surface temperatures ever recorded.
These are the key findings of the European Climate Position 2025 reportPublished annually by the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union and the World Meteorological Organization.
“The pace of climate change demands more urgent action,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. “With rising temperatures, widespread wildfires and drought, the evidence is clear; climate change is not a future threat, it is our current reality.”
Another record year of European heat
At least 95% of Europe saw above-average annual temperatures, with the United Kingdom, Norway and Iceland each recording their warmest year ever. The continent was hit by several heatwaves, one of which lasted for 25 days and affected several countries.
Northern Europe was also affected, with Norway, Sweden and the sub-Arctic region of Finland suffering 21 days of extreme temperatures. Generally, the region would not expect more than two days of heat stress. Meanwhile, Spain faced its most intense heat since at least 1975.
As emissions from burning coal, gas and oil change Earth’s climate, the report found that five of the continent’s ten hottest years have occurred since 2019.
And this trend is not limited to the country. Sea surface temperatures across the European region reached their highest annual average on record for the fourth consecutive year. It wreaks havoc on marine biodiversity, causing mass die-offs and unbalancing the food web.
Very hot conditions also come with real human costs. Heat-related deaths in Europe are projected to reach nearly 63,000 by 2024. lancet countdownA separate annual report that tracks the health impacts of climate change. The researchers also found that mortality linked to high temperatures has increased in almost 100% of the regions monitored since 2014.
“Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, with far-reaching impacts on socioeconomic well-being and ecosystems and biodiversity,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.
One million hectares of land burned in Europe
In May, more than half the continent experienced varying degrees of drought. This year also saw dry soil conditions for the third time on record, creating conditions that could reduce crop yields and increase wildfire risk.
Overall, 2025 was a devastating year for wildfires in Europe, with more than 1 million hectares of land burned. Greece witnessed its most serious wildfire outbreak in recent years when 50 fires broke out in 24 hours.
More than two-thirds of European rivers flow below their average annual flow due to drought.
Plus, the sunny conditions were also a boon for solar energy, which is needed to move away from the fossil fuels that heat the planet. Every EU country experienced an increase in its solar grid in 2025.
Europe’s disappearing snow and ice are raising seas
Rising temperatures trigger a series of widespread effects, including the melting of once frozen areas. In March, Europe lost snow cover equal to the size of France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland combined. The greatest damage occurred in Eastern Europe.
Glaciers retreated in almost every European region, especially in Iceland, which recorded its second-largest annual loss since 1976.
The Greenland ice sheet sheds approximately 139 gigatons of ice. Over the past 50 years, sea levels have risen three centimeters due to the loss of ice in Greenland and Antarctica. Each additional centimeter makes approximately 6 million people more vulnerable to coastal flooding.
a ray of hope
Fossil fuels have not only driven these extreme weather events; They have also proven to be a highly volatile commodity in times of geopolitical conflict. Europe has responded by investing in its own domestic energy sources, with renewable energy now supplying about half of the continent’s electricity.
Wind and solar power could replace fossil fuels in the EU for the first time by 2025, according to embersA global energy think tank.
Solar power set a new record, contributing about 13% of the continent’s electricity. This is the fourth consecutive year that solar energy has increased by more than 20%.
In Hungary, Cyprus, Greece, Spain and the Netherlands, solar power represents one-fifth of each country’s electricity.
“This milestone moment shows how rapidly the EU is moving towards an electricity system supported by wind and solar energy,” said Beatrice Petrovich, senior energy analyst at AMBER. “As reliance on fossil fuels creates instability on the global stage, the dangers of the transition to clean energy are clearer than ever.”
Edited by: Tamsin Walker