Doomsday Signs Draw Closer as Europe Faces Record Heatwaves
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Global warming and climate change are now affecting Europe, with its residents enduring extreme heat. Europe is currently experiencing record-breaking heatwaves this week, becoming the fastest-warming continent globally, with the Arctic warming even more rapidly. Following May’s temperature records in the UK, Ireland, and France, Europe faces even more severe heatwaves in the coming days.
The ‘heat dome’ phenomenon, where warm air from North Africa is trapped under high-pressure systems over western Europe, is causing heatwaves typically seen only at the peak of summer. Europe’s current temperatures are 1.4°C warmer than pre-industrial levels (1850-1900), with the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reporting that the region is 2.4 times hotter than the pre-industrial era.
“Almost all of this heat is caused by human-induced greenhouse effects from fossil fuel emissions, with the actual distribution of excess heat determined by several factors,” said Ben Clarke, an extreme weather and climate researcher at Imperial College London, quoted by AFP on Saturday (30/5/2026).
Meanwhile, Copernicus states that changes in atmospheric circulation have led to more frequent and intense heatwaves in European summers. “High-pressure systems, which bring stable weather and higher temperatures, have become more common in Europe,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, quoted by AFP. “If you look at the past 20 to 30 years, there has been a prevalence of such anticyclonic conditions, particularly in summer, making heatwaves more likely,” Buontempo added.
Rapid Arctic warming
Another key reason is geography. Europe is connected to the Arctic, which is warming much faster than other regions. The Arctic is now 3.2°C warmer than pre-industrial times. Temperature rises in the region are partly due to the albedo feedback process, where bright snow and ice reflect most solar heat back into space, but when melted, they reveal darker surfaces that absorb heat like land and ocean. “So when sea ice melts, it causes greater heat absorption, which in turn warms the water further and melts more ice,” Clarke said.
Such high-pressure systems are also known as ‘blocking highs’ as they remain stationary and prevent other weather systems from moving into a region.
Melting snow
Buontempo added that in other parts of Europe, areas where snow used to fall frequently in winter have now shrunk. “Many historic regions that once experienced freezing conditions for a week or more no longer do so, revealing dark land instead of white snow,” he said.
Air pollution reduction
Stricter air quality regulations have reduced aerosol emissions since the 1980s. However, tackling these pollutants has the side effect of contributing to global warming, as airborne particles cool the atmosphere by reflecting sunlight and making clouds more reflective. “While reducing air pollution is vital for respiratory health, it also increases surface solar radiation as many particle types deflect sunlight,” Clarke explained.
Varied rates
Temperature change rates vary across Europe. According to Copernicus, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of Central Europe including the Alps, have warmed by 0.5°C to 1°C per decade over the past 30 years. Western and Southwestern Europe, along with Finland, Norway, and Sweden in sub-Arctic regions, have warmed by 0.2°C to 0.5°C per decade. Svalbard, the Norwegian Arctic archipelago home to polar bears, has warmed by 1.5°C to 2°C per decade. As one of the fastest-warming places on Earth, Svalbard recorded its highest summer temperatures from 2022 to 2024. Last year, it experienced its fourth-hottest summer on record.