EUROPE IS WARMING faster than any other continent on Earth, with temperatures rising at more than twice the global average, according to a major new climate report.

The European State of the Climate 2025 report, published by the World Meteorological Organization and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, shows the continent has warmed by around 0.56 degrees per decade over the past 30 years.

This is more than double the global average of 0.27 degrees.

The only region warming faster is the Arctic, where temperatures are increasing at roughly 0.75 degrees per decade.

At least 95% of Europe experienced above-average temperatures in 2025, with extreme heat recorded from the Mediterranean to the far north.

In one of the most striking examples, parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland saw temperatures exceed 30 degrees within the Arctic Circle during a three-week heatwave.

The report highlights a range of knock-on effects linked to rising temperatures.

Sea surface temperatures across Europe reached their highest levels on record, with 86% of waters affected by marine heatwaves and more than a third experiencing “severe” or “extreme” conditions.

On land, hot and dry weather contributed to record wildfire activity, with more than one million hectares burned, the largest area on record.

River flows were below average for most of the year, with 70% of rivers affected, while soil moisture levels ranked among the lowest since records began.

Snow and ice are also in sharp decline. Snow cover across Europe was 31% below average, glaciers lost mass in all regions, and the Greenland Ice Sheet shed an estimated 139 billion tonnes of ice, contributing to rising global sea levels.

Scientists warn these trends are already having serious impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as increasing risks to infrastructure, agriculture and public health.

Despite the scale of the changes, the report notes some progress in mitigation efforts. Renewable energy accounted for 46.4% of Europe’s electricity generation in 2025, with solar power reaching a record 12.5% share.

The broader trends are also evident in Ireland. According to Met Éireann, summer 2025 was the warmest on record, with an average temperature of 16.19 degrees, nearly 2 degrees above the long-term average.

Ireland has already warmed by around 1.1 degrees since 1900, and projections indicate further increases in the decades ahead.

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