Nordic heatwave part of record year that saw temperatures scorch most of Europe, report finds
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- John Hyland of Greenpeace warned that “all emergency warning lights are flashing red” as Europe’s heatwave pushes temperatures beyond 30 °C in the Arctic Circle.
- Copernicus data show Europe’s sea surface temperatures hit record highs in 2025, with 86 % of the ocean experiencing “strong” heatwaves and 36 % “severe” or “extreme”.
- World Meteorological Organization reports that European snow cover fell 31 % and snow mass 45 % from recent‑decade averages, while Svalbard warmed three to four times the continental rate.
- Spain suffered 38 % of Europe’s burned area in 2025 wildfires, where volunteer firefighters died battling flames with only basic farming tools.
- Iceland recorded its second‑greatest glacier mass loss on record, contributing to Greenland’s 139 gigaton ice loss that raised global sea level by nearly 0.5 mm in 2025.
Why it matters: European governments must act as 1 million ha burned, a 4.7 % rise over 2017, driving up health costs and threatening homes and jobs and straining emergency services.
