As the first quarter of the 21st century draws to a close, Europe finds itself in the unenviable position of being the worldβs fastest-warming continent, confronting increasingly disastrous consequences of climate change that are raising uncertainty about its future.
Over the past 25 years, Europe has experienced intense political, technological and social change. Alongside wars, economic crises and rapid innovation, climate change has steadily intensified, pushing governments to adopt increasingly ambitious β and urgent β responses.
One of the key advances in the fight against climate change was the Paris Agreement, which marked its 10th anniversary this year. The treaty is the first universal, legally binding global climate accord and aims to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Farenhiet) above pre-industrial levels, ideally limiting it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
But as one of the continents most at risk, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe has been forced to move beyond long-term targets and confront impacts unfolding in real time.
Since the mid-1990s, Europe has warmed by around 0.53 degrees Celsius per decade.
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