Climate change in Europe

has resulted in an increase in temperature of 2.3 °C in Europe compared to pre-industrial levels. Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world. Europe's climate is getting warmer due to anthropogenic activity. According to international climate experts, global temperature rise should not exceed 2 °C to prevent the most dangerous consequences of climate change; without reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, this could happen before 2050. Climate change has implications for all regions of Europe, with the extent and nature of effects varying across the continent.
Effects on European countries include warmer weather and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather such as heat waves, bringing health risks and effects on ecosystems. European countries are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, although the European Union and governments of several countries have outlined plans to implement climate change mitigation and an energy transition in the 21st century, the European Green Deal being one of these.
Public opinion in Europe shows concern about climate change; in the European Investment Bank's Climate Survey of 2020, 90% of Europeans believe their children will experience the effects of climate change in their daily lives. Climate change activism and businesses shifting their practices has taken place in Europe.

Greenhouse gas emissions

A 2016 European Environment Agency report documents greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2014 for the EU-28 individual member states by IPCC sector. Total greenhouse gas emissions fell by 24% between 1990 and 2014, but road transport emissions rose by 17%. Cars, vans, and trucks had the largest absolute increase in CO₂ emissions of any sector over the last 25 years, growing by 124Mt. Aviation also grew by 93Mt over the same period, a massive 82% increase.
In 2019 European Union emissions reached 3.3 Gt, 80% of which was from fossil fuels.
In 2021, the European Parliament approved a landmark law setting GHG targets for 2050. The law aims to achieve carbon neutrality and, after 2050, negative emissions and paves the way for a policy overhaul in the European Union. Under the law, the European Union must act to lower net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The law sets a limit of 225 Mt of CO₂ equivalent to the contribution of removals to the target. According to Swedish lawmaker Jytte Guteland, the law would allow Europe to become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050.
In 2023, EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by 8.3% — the largest drop since 2020's pandemic-driven 9.8% decline. Emissions are now 37% below 1990 levels, while GDP has grown by 68%, indicating the decoupling of emissions from economic growth. According to the European Commission, the EU remains on track to meet its 2030 goal of cutting emissions by 55%.

Energy consumption

Coal

The coal consumption in Europe was in 1985 and has fallen to in 2020. The coal consumption in the EU was in 1985 and has fallen to in 2020. The height of CO₂ emissions from coal in Europe were in 1987 with 3.31 billion tonnes, and in 2019 with 1.36 billion tonnes.
Russia had the most CO₂ emissions from coal in Europe in 2019, Germany had the second most CO₂ emissions from coal in Europe. Iceland's CO₂ emissions from coal grew 151%, Turkey's CO₂ emissions from coal grew 131% between and Montenegro CO₂ emissions from coal grew 13% between 1990 and 2019, the rest of the European countries had a decrease in coal consumption in that period of time.
From 2012 to 2018 in the EU coal fell by around, compared to a rise of in wind power and solar energy generation and a rise of in gas generation. The remaining covered a small structural increase in electricity consumption. In 2019 coal generation will be about 12% of the EU's 2019 greenhouse gas emissions.

Fossil gas/other methane

The EU classifies fossil gas as a "green" energy for investment purposes under the taxonomy, although it is a fossil fuel. According to Global Energy Monitor plans to expand infrastructure contradict EU climate goals.
The EU used in 2021 and Europe as a whole used in 2021.
The decline in methane emissions from 1990 to 1995 in the OECD is largely due to non-climate regulatory programs and the collection and flaring or use of landfill methane. In many OECD countries, landfill methane emissions are not expected to grow, despite continued or even increased waste generation, because of non-climate change-related regulations that result in mitigation of air emissions, collection of gas, or closure of facilities. A major driver in the OECD is the European Union Landfill Directive, which limits the amount of organic matter that can enter solid waste facilities. Although the organic matter is expected to decrease rapidly in the EU, emissions occur as a result of total waste in place. Emissions will have a gradual decline over time.

Agriculture

es are also released through agriculture. Livestock production is common in Europe, responsible for 42% of land in Europe. This land use for livestock does affect the environment. Agriculture accounts for 10% of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, this percentage being even larger in other parts of the world. Along with this percentage, agriculture is also responsible for being the largest contributor of non carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions being emitted annually in Europe.
Agriculture has been found to release other gases besides carbon dioxides such as methane and nitrous oxide. A study claimed that 38% of greenhouse gases released through agriculture in Europe were methane. These farms release methane through chemicals in fertilizers used, manure, and a process called enteric fermentation. These gases are estimated to possibly cause even more damage than carbon dioxide, a study by Environmental Research Letters claims that "CH₄ has 20 times more heat-trapping potential than CO₂ and N₂O has 300 times more." These emissions released through agriculture are also linked to soil acidification and loss of biodiversity in Europe as well.
Europe is attempting to take action. The Land Use Change and Forestry was created, focusing on lowering the amount of greenhouse gas emissions through land use in Europe. Some success was seen, between 1990 and 2016, greenhouse gases emitted through agriculture in Europe decreased by 20%. However, the European Union has a plan to become carbon neutral by 2050. If more policies are not implemented or if there is no dietary shift, it has been concluded the European Union may not reach this goal.
According to the European Green Deal, it is critical to minimize reliance on pesticides and antimicrobials, eliminate excess fertilization, promote organic farming, improve animal welfare, and reverse biodiversity loss. The introduction and successful implementation of sustainable agriculture can assist developing nations improve their food security, as well as strengthening soil and plan carbon sinks globally.

Transport

Road

Road transport emits about a fifth of EU greenhouse gas.

Aviation

Aviation is taxed less than train travel.

Shipping

Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping equal the carbon footprint of a quarter of passenger cars in Europe. Shipping is not covered by the Paris Agreement but is subject to the EU ETS, and will be subject to the UK ETS from 2026.

Other greenhouse gases

Hydrofluorocarbons

is generated and emitted as a byproduct during the production of chlorodifluoromethane. HCFC-22 is used both in emissive applications and as a feedstock for production of synthetic polymers. Because HCFC-22 depletes stratospheric ozone, its production for non-feedstock uses is scheduled to be phased out under the Montreal Protocol. However, feedstock production is permitted to continue indefinitely.
In the developed world, HFC-23 emissions decreased between 1990 and 2000 due to process optimization and thermal destruction, although there were increased emissions in the intervening years.
The United States and the European Union drove these trends in the developed world. Although emissions increased in the EU between 1990 and 1995 due to increased production of HCFC-22, a combination of process optimization and thermal oxidation led to a sharp decline in EU emissions after 1995, resulting in a net decrease in emissions of 67 percent for this region between 1990 and 2000.

Effects on the natural environment

Temperature and weather changes

The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Climate 2021 stated that temperatures in Europe increased at more than twice the global average over the preceding 30 years–the highest increase of any continent in the world. The European Environment Agency stated that from pre-industrial times, European land temperatures have increased by 1.94–1.99 °C, faster than the global average increase of 1.11–1.14 °C.
The Arctic sea ice decreased 33.000 km² between 1979 and 2020 per year during the winter and 79.000 km² per year during the summer in the same period of time. If temperatures are kept below 1.5 °C warming ice free Arctic summers would be rare but it would be a frequent event with a 2 °C warming.
In the Baltic Sea ice melting has been seen since 1800 and with an acceleration happening since the 1980s. Sea ice was at a record low in the winter of 2019–2020.
These extreme weather changes may increase the severity of diseases in animals as well as humans. The heat waves will increase the number of forest fires. Experts have warned that climate change may increase the number of global climate refugees from 150 million in 2008 to 800 million in the future. The International agreement of refugees does not recognize climate change refugees. From 2012 to 2022, according to the European Environment Agency, extreme weather events cost Europe more than €145 billion in economic damages. Climate-related economic losses grew by about 2% each year throughout the same time.
A study of future changes in flood, heat-waves, and drought effects for 571 European cities, using climate model runs from the coupled model intercomparison project Phase 5 found that heat-wave days increase across all cities, but especially in southern Europe, whilst the greatest heatwave temperature increases are expected in central European cities. For the small effect scenario, drought conditions intensify in southern European cities while river flooding worsens in northern European cities. However, the large effect scenario projects that most European cities will see increases in both drought and river flood risks. Over 100 cities are particularly vulnerable to two or more climate effects.