Julio García
The Copernicus Global Climate Highlights Report 2024, published this Friday by the Commission, confirms that 2024 was the warmest year on record and the first to exceed pre-industrial levels in global average annual temperature by 1.5°C. Last year was also the warmest in all continental regions, including Europe, except Antarctica and Australia.
As also highlighted in the 2023 State of the Climate in Europe Report and the European Climate Risk Assessment, the European continent has been warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, becoming the fastest warming continent on Earth.
Europe’s Arctic lands remain the fastest warming region on Earth, and changes in atmospheric circulation are favouring more frequent summer heatwaves. Glaciers are also melting and there are changes in rainfall patterns.
The overall frequency and severity of extreme weather events are increasing. Sea surface temperatures remained exceptionally high, with July to December 2024 being the second warmest on record for that time of year, after 2023.
The EU is committed to supporting global climate action and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It has agreed targets and legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and the Commission has already recommended a net GHG emissions reduction target of 90% by 2040. The Commission published a Communication in April 2024 on how to effectively prepare the EU for climate risks and build greater climate resilience.
Copernicus, Europe’s eyes on Earth, is the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space programme. Funded by the EU, Copernicus is a unique instrument that monitors our planet and its environment for the benefit of all European citizens.
