The Copernicus Climate Change Service releases its annual European State of the Climate (ESOTC) report, detailing the significant climate events of 2022 in Europe and across the globe. These data-driven insights show rising temperatures and intensifying extreme events, and give an overview of 2022’s climate in a long-term context.
Globally, the last eight years have been the warmest on record. In 2022, the global annual average concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) reached their highest levels ever measured by satellite. Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, compounded by several extreme events including intense heatwaves, drought conditions and extensive wildfires, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). Temperatures across Europe are rising at twice the global average rate; faster than any other continent.
C3S publishes the European State of the Climate report 2022 (ESOTC 2022) to provide deeper insights into the European climate, based on its free and open climate data. Mauro Facchini, Head of Earth Observation at the Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission, comments: "The IPCC’s latest synthesis report warns that we are running out of time, and that global warming has resulted in more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, as is the case for Europe. Only accurate information and data on the current state of the climate can help us achieve the goals we have set, and the European State of the Climate report is an essential tool to support the European Union with its climate adaptation agenda and commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050."
Annual precipitation anomalies (%) over Europe for 2022, expressed as a percentage of the annual average for the 1991–2020 reference period. Data source: ERA5. Credit: C3S/ECMWF/KNMI.
European temperatures - records broken and impacts on health
Increasing temperature is an important climate indicator, and highlights Europe’s changing climate. The data show that the average for Europe for the latest 5-year period was around 2.2°C above the pre-industrial era (1850-1900). 2022 was the second warmest year on record, at 0.9°C above a recent average (using the reference period of 1991-2020). Last summer was the hottest on record for Europe, at 1.4°C above the recent average.
Extremes in heat during the late spring and summer resulted in hazardous conditions for human health. Due to the extreme heatwaves during summer, southern Europe experienced a record number of days with ‘very strong heat stress’. Europe is seeing an upward trend in the number of summer days with ‘strong’ or ‘very strong heat stress’, and in southern Europe the same is seen for ‘extreme heat stress’. There is also a decreasing trend in the number of days with ‘no heat stress’.
Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), comments: “The report highlights alarming changes to our climate, including the hottest summer ever recorded in Europe, marked by unprecedented marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean Sea and record-breaking temperatures in Greenland. Understanding the climate dynamics in Europe is crucial for our efforts to adapt and mitigate the negative impacts climate change has on the continent.”
Drought in Europe: lack of rainfall and snow
One of the most significant events affecting Europe in 2022 was the widespread drought. During the winter of 2021-2022, much of Europe experienced fewer snow days than average, with many areas seeing up to 30 fewer days. In spring, precipitation was below average across much of the continent, with May seeing the lowest precipitation on record for the month. The lack of winter snow and the high summer temperatures resulted in a record loss of ice from glaciers in the Alps, equivalent to a loss of more than 5 km3 of ice. The low precipitation amounts, which continued throughout summer, together with the exceptional heatwaves, also caused a widespread and prolonged drought that affected several sectors, such as agriculture, river transport and energy.
The annual soil moisture anomaly was the second lowest in the last 50 years with only isolated areas seeing wetter-than-average soil moisture conditions. Furthermore, river flow for Europe was the second lowest on record, marking the sixth year in a row with below average flows. In terms of the area affected, 2022 was the driest year on record, with 63% of Europe’s rivers seeing lower-than-average flows.
