The data collected from European satellites show contrasting climatic and geological changes in Europe.

Despite a recent colder winter with more snow in some regions, climate change continues to have a significant impact on Europe, with snow cover in a constant decline, according to two new analyses based on satellite data published by the European Environment Agency. Meanwhile, ground movements and volcanic activity are rapidly altering the landscape in several areas of the continent.

In brief

Snow cover in Europe is in long-term decline, despite some recent colder winters. Annual variability in snowfall is increasing in most European regions. Volcanic activity in Iceland has generated rapid changes in the landscape after centuries of inactivity. Ground movements affect several European regions, due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. The data comes from near real-time datasets of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service.

The European Environment Agency has launched two new "snapshot stories" based on satellite data, aimed at highlighting the value of the information and images available through the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service. The analyses focus on two major phenomena: the evolution of snow cover in Europe and ground movements associated with both natural processes and human activities.

According to the EEA, changes in snow cover are "among the clearest signs of climate change" in Europe. While many regions in the southern part of the continent and mid-altitude mountainous areas, including the Alps and the Pyrenees, are facing shorter snow seasons and reduced snow cover, other regions, particularly Scandinavia, have recorded unexpected increases in snowfall in recent years.

The agency emphasizes that these regional contrasts highlight "the complexity of snow dynamics in Europe." At the same time, it is becoming "increasingly clear that snow no longer behaves as it did in the past," and high levels of variability from year to year are becoming the norm.

The second analysis focuses on ground movements at the European level. In Iceland, volcanic activity has resumed in the Reykjanes peninsula after about 800 years of inactivity, generating dramatic changes in the landscape, with major implications for the population and infrastructure. In other regions of Europe, coastal areas are simultaneously facing rising sea levels and land subsidence.

According to the EEA, some of these changes are natural, caused by tectonic activity, glacial rebound, or volcanism, but others are accelerated by human activities such as groundwater extraction, mining, and urban development. These processes can lead to subsidence, sometimes with serious consequences, as illustrated by the data presented in the snapshot dedicated to ground movements.

The agency shows that these analyses are based on over 200 datasets and visualization tools made available for free through the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service. The data can be used by practitioners, researchers, and journalists to identify trends, add evidence, and visualize environmental changes in Europe, including the evolution of forests, cities, agricultural land, and natural areas.

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service is part of the European Copernicus Earth observation program and provides near real-time satellite data on land use, soil cover, and environmental changes. The European Environment Agency uses this data to support public information and analysis of environmental developments at the European level.