Solar power soars to new heights but fears over 'dangerously high' temperatures

Almost the entirety of Europe saw above-average temperatures last year, while wildfires burnt a record area and heatwaves struck from north to south, according to an extensive new climate study.

2025 brought 46C (115F) heat to Portugal, temperatures of 30C (86F) within the Arctic Circle, and 20 large wildfires at the same time in Spain.

"Dangerously high" temperatures inflicted "consequences for societies and ecosystems across Europe", the European State of the Climate report said.

The paper, produced by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, found:

'Exceptional' British summers 'becoming the norm'

In Britain the year saw the hottest summer on record, "nationally significant" water shortfalls, record wildfire numbers and £800m in losses to farmers.

While the country has previously seen very hot summers, including famously in 1976, environmentalists are alarmed by how much more frequent and widespread they are.

Samantha Burgess of Copernicus told Sky News the heat in 1976 was "very localised" over Britain.

But last June brought "heatwave conditions effectively right from the UK all the way to Eastern Europe, to Greece".

Hilary McGrady, the head of Europe's biggest conservation charity, the National Trust, told Sky News: "These exceptional years are now becoming the norm."

It recently asked its five million members to write to their MPs about protecting Britain's declining wildlife and countryside.

"We need urgent action to adapt and to reduce emissions at the pace that science demands," she told Sky News.

Why is Europe the fastest-warming continent?

Last year's extreme weather was often intensified by climate change, as the continent warms faster than any other.

Copernicus gave four reasons for this trend, including Europe's proximity to the Arctic region, which itself is warming at least three times faster than the global average.

The continent is also becoming sunnier, and changing weather patterns are producing stronger heatwaves.

Areas covered in snow, which reflects the sun's heat, are also melting.

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New record for solar as continent becomes sunnier

But there was a ray of light in the report in that solar power reached record levels.

It provided 12.5% of Europe's electricity, up from 10.3%, driven by increased installations and the fact the continent is becoming sunnier.

Since the 1980s, stricter regulations have reduced aerosol pollution from cars and power plants; this has cleared the skies of reflective clouds, allowing more sunlight to reach the continent.

Gareth Simkins from Solar Energy UK said the overall impact of a warmer world on solar generation is "difficult to predict", as panels perform best when they are cool, but rely on the sun to function.

(c) Sky News 2026: Solar power soars to new heights but fears over 'dangerously high' temperatures