Europe is warming faster than the rest of the world, warns Copernicus

European temperatures have risen twice as much as the global average since the 1990s, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arctic Circle, all due to human activity. This activity puts our common geographic space at risk, especially through heat waves, with potentially devastating consequences.

According to Copernicus, since the 1980s, Europe has warmed twice as fast as the global average. Is the continent more affected by climate change? To answer our questions, the editorial team interviewed Étienne Vignon, a researcher in atmospheric physics specializing in climate change in the polar regions, a member of the Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory at Sorbonne University.

The increase in temperatures is evident in Scandinavia and the Arctic, where sea ice reaches historically low levels. Glaciers are melting to the point of disappearing. Ottilia Férey is France Culture’s correspondent in Sweden.

If Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, the entire planet could experience an accelerated warming this year. The blame falls on El Niño, a recurring climate phenomenon that intensifies temperature increases. The UN expects a new episode this summer.