European State of the Climate 2024

On April 15th of this year, the "European State of the Climate 2024" was published.
This is an annual report issued by Copernicus, the European Commission’s climate change service, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for meteorological and hydrological observation.

Tale rapporto ha messo in luce dei dati piuttosto preoccupanti che riguardano soprattutto l’Europa, il continente dove il cambiamento climatico si manifesta più rapidamente. The report revealed some particularly alarming data concerning Europe, the continent where climate change is progressing the fastest.

2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, with the highest number of days experiencing extreme heat stress. The annual average sea surface temperature also reached an unprecedented peak. Additionally, glaciers in Scandinavia and the Svalbard archipelago suffered their greatest annual mass loss on record. It was also found that more than 400,000 people were affected by floods, including the tragic and well-known case in Valencia.

Rainfall data was equally concerning: 2024 ranked among the ten wettest years in Europe since 1950, resulting in one-third of European rivers overflowing. 

Equally alarming were the frequent wildfires that plagued the European continent. Although this issue was not perceived as particularly urgent in Italy, Portugal alone saw 110 hectares of land burned in just one week—equivalent to about a quarter of the area typically burned annually across Europe.

However, the report also highlighted encouraging data, reflecting Europe’s efforts toward a sustainable transition, as it noted that 51% of European cities have adopted a climate adaptation plan—a figure that, while still insufficient, represents an increase of about 25% compared to 2018. Additionally, 45% of the electricity generated came from renewable sources.

Despite these positive signs, the data remains profoundly concerning. As Carlo Buontempo, Italian climatologist and Director of the Copernicus Climate Service, emphasized: "The changes we are witnessing are so significant that they require us to rethink nearly everything we do—from the way we farm to how we build and manage emergencies in all activities that are directly or indirectly dependent on climate and water. This kind of adaptation is already a necessity today, not in some distant future."

The report also provided examples of cities and countries leading the way in implementing climate adaptation strategies, including the Netherlands, Glasgow, Milan, Paris, Bratislava, and Kyiv. These strategies involve expanding green spaces, constructing flood-resistant infrastructure, creating water reserves, and installing green roofs.

Many European actors are thus demonstrating their ability to innovate and pursue a more sustainable future. Yet, these policies are still insufficient to counteract global warming, which continues to escalate with each passing year. This is evidenced not only by the Copernicus report but also by other climate change assessments, which are often overlooked or met with resignation.

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