How much warmer was Europe in 2020 than normal?

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Europe Experienced Record Temperatures in 2020, Significantly Exceeding Normal Levels

In 2020, Europe experienced a record-breaking year in terms of temperature, being nearly half a degree Celsius warmer than the next warmest year on record. This elevated temperature means the continent was over 2 degrees Celsius warmer compared to a hypothetical world unaffected by human-caused carbon emissions. Globally, average surface temperatures have risen by approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial benchmark, with the six years since 2015 consistently ranking as the warmest recorded.
Europe's Temperature Anomaly in 2020

The European Union's climate monitoring service, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), reported that Europe's 2020 temperature was almost 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than the previous warmest year. This figure places the continent's warming significantly above the targets set by the Paris climate accord, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to mid-19th century levels.
Global Warming Trends

Globally, the trend of rising temperatures is stark, with 20 of the last 21 years being the warmest on record. This pattern highlights a consistent and accelerating warming of the planet. The report emphasizes that the trend observed over three, five, and ten-year periods is "unequivocal," indicating a persistent increase in global average surface temperatures.
Extreme Warming in the Arctic

Beyond Europe, the Arctic region also recorded exceptional warming in 2020, being the second warmest year on record for the Arctic as a whole, with surface temperatures 2.2 degrees Celsius above the 1981-2010 average. In northern Siberia specifically, temperatures climbed more than 6 degrees Celsius above the late-20th century benchmark for the entire year, contributing to dry conditions and record-breaking fire activity.
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations

The increase in global temperatures is directly linked to rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. In 2020, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) levels each increased by approximately half a percent, reaching their highest recorded levels. The atmospheric concentration of CO2 has now risen by 50 percent compared to pre-industrial times, reaching about 516 parts per million.

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How much warmer was Europe in 2020 than normal?

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