UN report shows Europe is fastest-warming continent

EUROPE is the fastest-warming continent in the world as countries were hit by clear climate change impacts, extreme weather and record temperatures in 2024, a major annual report shows.

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Around 100 scientists and experts contributed to the UN-led European State of the Climate 2024, which found that last year was the warmest on record for the continent.

Storms were often severe and flooding was the most widespread since 2013, claiming at least 335 lives and affecting around 413,000 people, according to the paper, which is released by the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C38) today.

There was a striking east-west contrast in climate conditions, with extremely dry and warm conditions in the east compared to warm but wet conditions in the west, the experts said.