Burning Europe
With a rate of warming that is nearly twice the global average, Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. The most recent five-year average shows that temperatures in Europe are 2.3°C above pre-industrial levels, compared to a global increase of 1.3°C. In recent years, extreme heat, droughts, wildfires, and floods have seriously threatened Europe’s ecosystems, infrastructure, food security, water resources, and public health. In 2024, the Balkan Peninsula was particularly affected by an extreme heatwave, which also impacted most of Croatia.
The summer of 2024 in the Balkans was the hottest since records began more than 130 years ago. Extended periods with temperatures above 30°C pushed average temperatures to new heights. The hot summer in the Balkan region dried up rivers in Bosnia and Serbia, sparked fierce wildfires in Croatia, North Macedonia, and Albania, and damaged crops and scorched farmland across the region.
Since 2000, tourism has been steadily increasing in Croatia. One-fifth of all jobs in the country are in tourism, and about 10 million tourists visit the country each year. But rising temperatures threaten the future of the country’s largest source of income, as more tourists seek northern destinations in Europe.
In addition, many locals and Southern Europeans now also leave during the hottest summer months to travel north and embrace the new concept of "coolcation," a term for tourism in cooler climates.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that around 166,000 people die annually due to heat related to climate change, but this number may be higher in years with extreme heat. The heat most often affects elderly people with chronic illnesses, as well as those who work outdoors or live in areas with poor access to cooling and healthcare facilities.
The consequences of extreme heat and drought are already at a critical level for crop cultivation in Southern Europe. The prolonged drought periods affect large areas and pose a major threat to crop production, food security, and drinking water supply. To adapt, many farmers are working to implement more sustainable agricultural methods, such as water-saving technologies and new types of crops.
In July 2024, the highest sea temperature in Croatia’s history was recorded. The measurement was taken off the coast of Dubrovnik and reached 29.7°C. Rising sea temperatures can cause dramatic changes in marine ecosystems, which can have major consequences for both animals and humans who depend on and live around the sea. It also results in more severe weather over the water, with stronger storms, heavy rainfall, flooding, and droughts.
Published by Politiken