1 minute read / May 4, 2026
Europe recorded widespread warm conditions with above-average temperatures across at least 95% of the continent, according to the 2025 European State of the Climate (ESOTC) report. The report, published today by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), shows Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth. This aligns with the European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), a scientific report published in 2024 by the European Environment Agency, that made an early warning on how our continent is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world.
This report again underlines the urgency for Europe to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero, strengthen resilience to climate impacts, and speed up the shift to clean energy through more renewables and better energy efficiency. The EU stays the course on its long-term goal to climate neutrality with a clear path to mid-century. Better preparing the EU for climate risks is also a priority for the Commission. It will present an integrated framework for European climate resilience and risk management later this year.
The latest Copernicus data outlines Europe’s rising temperatures are speeding up the loss of snow and ice, alongside more frequent and severe extreme conditions such as heatwaves, drought and record sea temperatures from the Arctic to the Mediterranean.
