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A stark new report reveals that Europe endured a historically hot year in 2025, marked by unprecedented heatwaves across Nordic countries, shrinking glaciers, and record sea temperatures. The findings, detailed in the European State of the Climate report by the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), paint a worrying picture of accelerating climate extremes on the continent.

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The climate indicators ... are quite worrying.

The report highlights that a staggering 95 percent of the region experienced above-average annual temperatures, with Britain, Norway, and Iceland recording their warmest years on record. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the alarming trend, stating that "Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest warming continent on Earth." This accelerated warming translates directly into more frequent and intense heatwaves, with regions from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle experiencing prolonged periods of extreme heat.

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Since 1980, Europe has been warming twice as fast as the global average, making it the fastest warming continent on Earth.

Beyond the immediate impact of heatwaves, the report details significant long-term consequences, including substantial glacier melt across Europe and a massive loss of ice from the Greenland Ice Sheet. This phenomenon, equivalent to "losing 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools every single hour," contributes to rising global sea levels. The findings underscore the urgent need for Europe to not only adapt to these intensifying climate impacts but also to drastically accelerate its transition to clean energy sources, as stressed by European Commission officials.

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Glaciers across Europe and globally are projected to continue to lose mass throughout the 21st century, regardless of the emission scenario.