Europe remains the fastest warming continent: new climate records have been recorded in the region

29 April 2026 Climate and environment

In 2025, temperatures above the annual average norm are recorded in at least 95 percent of the region’s territory. At the same time, the areas of snow and ice cover are shrinking, and the consequences of climate change increasingly affect both the ecosystem and human life.

Rapid warming in the cold regions of Europe

Particularly noticeable are the climatic changes in the coldest regions of Europe, including the Arctic and the Alps, where a trend towards rapid warming is observed. This causes concern because snow and ice play a crucial role in slowing down climate change by reflecting sunlight back into space (the so-called albedo effect).

So, for example, in March the snow cover area in Europe was about 1.32 million square kilometers, or 31 percent, below the average level, which is equivalent to the total area of France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. This figure became the third lowest since the beginning of observations in 1983. In addition, a net loss of glacier mass was recorded in all regions of Europe, and in Iceland the second largest glacier mass loss indicator for the entire observation history was recorded.

“Europe is a continent where warming occurs the fastest, and its consequences are already serious now,” said Florian Pappenberger, Director General of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. According to him, the report contains concrete data that will help make political decisions and better understand ongoing climate changes.

Record ocean warming

Another alarming trend has been the warming of the oceans. By 2025, the average annual sea surface temperature in the European region reached the highest level ever recorded in the entire history of observations. Such record indicators have been recorded for the fourth year in a row. The anomalous heat affected 86 percent of the water area of the European region, with 36 percent of the territory experiencing “strong” or “extreme” conditions – this is the highest indicator in the entire history of observations.

Forest fires in Europe

Hot and dry conditions also contributed to the occurrence of a record number of forest fires. In total, a record area of about 1,034,000 hectares burned in Europe. Spain was particularly badly affected, accounting for about half of the harmful emissions. Record emission levels were also recorded in Cyprus, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Threat to biodiversity

Climate change increasingly affects biodiversity. Nature is experiencing growing pressure due to the reduction and displacement of habitats, disruptions of seasonal cycles due to rising temperatures, as well as changes in precipitation patterns. The report provides examples of the impact of abnormal heat on seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the destructive influence of fires on peatlands.

Positive changes against the background of climate risks

At the same time, the authors of the report note positive changes. Thus, in 2025, renewable energy sources provided almost half of all electricity in Europe, and the share of solar energy reached a record 12.5 percent.

However, experts emphasize that Europe inevitably needs to accelerate measures for adapting to climate change and reducing its consequences to protect people, ecosystems, and the region’s economy.