ECMWF and WMO report highlights impacts of climate change on people and biodiversity across the fastest-warming continent
Rapid warming in Europe is reducing snow and ice cover, while dangerously high air temperatures, drought, heatwaves and record ocean temperatures are affecting regions from the Arctic to the Mediterranean. Europe, along with many other regions of the globe, is exposed to increasing impacts - from record heatwaves on land and at sea, to devastating wildfires, and continuing biodiversity loss - with consequences for societies and ecosystems across Europe.
The findings are released today within the European State of the Climate (ESOTC) 2025 report, produced by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which implements the Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The report brings together the work of around 100 scientific contributors and provides a comprehensive overview of key changes in climate indicators for the world's fastest warming continent, including cold environments, marine ecosystems, rivers and lakes, wildfire risk, and more. A wide range of graphics and visuals highlighting key findings from the data are being made available.
Report key findings
- At least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures in 2025.
- A record three-week heatwave affected sub-Arctic Fennoscandia, with temperatures near to and within the Arctic Circle exceeding 30°C.
- Glaciers in all European regions saw a net mass loss, with Iceland recording its second-largest glacier loss on record; snow cover was 31% below average; the Greenland Ice Sheet lost 139 gigatonnes (139 billion tonnes) of ice.
- The annual sea surface temperature for the European region was the highest on record, and 86% of the region experienced at least 'strong' marine heatwaves.
- Wildfires burnt around 1,034,550 hectares, the largest area on record.
- River flows were below average for 11 months of the year across Europe, with 70% of rivers seeing below-average annual flows.
- Storms and flooding affected thousands across Europe, though extreme rainfall and flooding were less widespread than in recent years.
- Renewables supplied nearly half (46.4%) of Europe's electricity in 2025, with solar power reaching a new contribution record of 12.5%.
- Biodiversity is vital for a sustainable future, but climate change is a major cause of its degradation. Climate change and biodiversity are strongly connected within European policy and frameworks.
