Europe's 2024 Record Heat Leads to 335 Deaths, 413,000 Affected by Floods, Valencia DANA Claims 232 Lives

Europe experienced its hottest year on record in 2024, with temperatures in central, eastern, and southeastern regions reaching unprecedented levels, according to a joint report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization. The average temperature across Europe was 1.5°C above the 1991-2020 reference period, surpassing the previous record set in 2020 by three tenths of a degree. The year was marked by a stark east-west contrast in climate conditions. Eastern Europe faced extremely dry and often record-warm conditions, while the west experienced warm but wet weather. This led to widespread flooding in the west, affecting an estimated 413,000 people and resulting in at least 335 deaths. The flooding was most severe in Valencia, Spain, where a DANA event in October claimed 232 lives. In addition to the flooding, Europe also saw significant impacts from heatwaves and droughts. The southeast of the continent endured a record-breaking 66 days of dangerously hot temperatures and 23 tropical nights, where temperatures did not drop below 20°C. These conditions contributed to the fastest rate of glacial retreat in Scandinavia, with glaciers losing an average of 1.8 meters of ice. The sea surface temperature in Europe was the highest on record, 0.7°C above average, and in the Mediterranean, it was 1.2°C above average. The report also highlighted the increasing risk of flooding in Europe due to climate change, with 30% of the continent's river network experiencing significant floods in 2024. This was the most widespread flooding since 2013, driven by fossil fuel-induced climate change, which continues to cause torrential rains and other extreme weather events. The damages from these floods are estimated at €18 billion. The proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources reached a record high of 45%, and 51% of European cities now have climate adaptation plans, up from 26% in 2018, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections.