Europe's Severe Flooding of 2024: A Climate Monitoring Agency Report
18 April 2025 · Uncategorized ·
Source: · https://technews.tw/2025/04/15/copernicus-climate-change-service-2024-report/
The European Union's climate monitoring agency has reported that ongoing climatic changes driven by fossil fuels are contributing to increased heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events, resulting in the worst flooding Europe has seen since 2013. Approximately 30% of rivers across the continent were severely affected.
According to reports from Reuters and AFP, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that Europe experienced its most severe floods in over a decade during 2024, with nearly one-third of river levels reaching critical points. Large areas of the continent suffered flooding; Valencia, Spain, was particularly hard hit, along with regions in Central and Eastern Europe.
These disasters occurred during what is considered Earth’s hottest year on record, highlighting how human-induced climate change exacerbates flood risks for Europe under global warming conditions. The European Climate Report, a joint publication by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), indicates that floods in 2024 resulted in at least 335 deaths and affected over four hundred thousand people. Samantha Burgess, deputy director of ECMWF's 'Copernicus Climate Change Service,' stated prior to releasing her report: “Europe has experienced its largest-scale flooding since 2013.”
Last September, Storm Boris caused massive floods and widespread destruction across eight Central European countries within five days—rainfall equivalent to that of three months. A month later, warm Mediterranean air triggered strong storms leading to heavy rains in Spain which devastated Valencia.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, stated: "Every degree Celsius increase is crucial as it escalates risks for our lives, economies and planet."
The report also offers some positive news; Europe’s renewable energy share reached a record high of 45% in 2024. Furthermore, most European cities have plans to adapt to climate change.
According to reports from Reuters and AFP, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that Europe experienced its most severe floods in over a decade during 2024, with nearly one-third of river levels reaching critical points. Large areas of the continent suffered flooding; Valencia, Spain, was particularly hard hit, along with regions in Central and Eastern Europe.
These disasters occurred during what is considered Earth’s hottest year on record, highlighting how human-induced climate change exacerbates flood risks for Europe under global warming conditions. The European Climate Report, a joint publication by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), indicates that floods in 2024 resulted in at least 335 deaths and affected over four hundred thousand people. Samantha Burgess, deputy director of ECMWF's 'Copernicus Climate Change Service,' stated prior to releasing her report: “Europe has experienced its largest-scale flooding since 2013.”
Last September, Storm Boris caused massive floods and widespread destruction across eight Central European countries within five days—rainfall equivalent to that of three months. A month later, warm Mediterranean air triggered strong storms leading to heavy rains in Spain which devastated Valencia.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, stated: "Every degree Celsius increase is crucial as it escalates risks for our lives, economies and planet."
The report also offers some positive news; Europe’s renewable energy share reached a record high of 45% in 2024. Furthermore, most European cities have plans to adapt to climate change.