Listen to this story:

• Record heat & damage: 2024 was Europe’s hottest year on record, with €18 billion in storm and flood damages, 335 lives lost, and over 400,000 people affected.
• Floods surged: Nearly a third of Europe’s river network exceeded flood thresholds—the widest extent since 2013.
• Eastern Europe scorched: The region saw its longest, most intense heatwave on record, triggering record ‘heat stress’ days and water scarcity.

Europe is heating faster than any other continent—and the consequences are multiplying.
The European State of the Climate 2024 report, released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), shows 2024 was the hottest year on record for Europe, with nearly half the continent experiencing record-high annual temperatures.

“Since the 1980s, Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average,” the report notes. The acceleration is linked to shrinking Arctic ice, shifts in atmospheric circulation, and reductions in aerosols.

Floods: Europe’s Costliest Climate Threat

Europe saw its most widespread flooding since 2013, driven by extreme rainfall events that broke multiple national records.

• Storm Boris in September inundated eight countries. River flows exceeded double the average annual peak along 8,500 km of rivers—three times the length of the Danube.
• In October, Valencia, Spain recorded the second-highest 24-hour rainfall total ever seen in the country, with 771.8 mm in one day.
• Overall, 30% of the European river network exceeded the “high” flood threshold; 12% surpassed the “severe” threshold.

“Flooding in 2024 affected 413,000 people and claimed at least 335 lives,” according to the report. Damages are estimated at €18.2 billion, with flooding accounting for 85% of the total.

Eastern Europe: A Flashpoint for Extreme Heat

Southeastern Europe endured the region’s longest and second most severe heatwave on record—13 days of sweltering conditions with a “feels-like” temperature up to 38°C.

• “There were 66 days of ‘strong heat stress’—a record,” the report states.
• “Southeastern Europe experienced 23 tropical nights—almost triple the long-term average.”
• Drought conditions led to notably or exceptionally low river flows in 35% of the region’s rivers.

The IPCC projects that at 1.5°C global warming, Europe could face 30,000 heat-related deaths annually, with southeastern Europe at greatest risk.

RELATED ARTICLE: European State of the Climate 2023 – New Report Released by WMO and Copernicus ECMWF

Action & Resilience

“Extreme weather events pose increasing risks to Europe’s built environment and infrastructure,” the report warns, urging urgent climate resilience planning—especially for flood defense and heat adaptation.

Florence Rabier, Director-General of ECMWF, stated: “The ESOTC 2024 report is a testament to the dedication of our staff and collaborators, whose excellent work makes it possible to produce such a high-quality and well-regarded publication.”

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, added: “We are making progress but need to go further and faster.”

EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius emphasized: “The alarming findings show how important it is to have an independent, world-class Earth observation system.”

The data is clear: Europe’s exposure to climate extremes is growing—in frequency, intensity, and cost. C-suite executives, investors, and policymakers must recalibrate risk models and accelerate adaptation investments now.

Read the full report here.

Follow ESG News on LinkedIn