Climate Change Identified as Key Driver Behind Devastating 2025 Wildfires in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus

Climate Change Identified as Key Driver Behind Devastating 2025 Wildfires in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus
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A recent study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network has concluded that climate change was the primary driver behind the catastrophic wildfires that swept through Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus during the summer of 2025. The fires claimed at least 20 lives, displaced around 80,000 people, and destroyed over one million hectares of forest—marking the worst wildfire season in recent European history.

According to the study, the fires were 22% more intense than in previous years, fueled by extreme heat, prolonged drought, and strong winds. Temperatures exceeded 40°C in many areas, while rainfall during preceding winters had dropped by 14% since the onset of the fossil fuel era, leaving vegetation dangerously dry.

Theodor Kipping of Imperial College London emphasized that global warming—now at 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels—has significantly increased the frequency and severity of heatwaves and droughts. Without urgent reductions in fossil fuel use, temperatures could rise by 3°C this century.

Researchers also linked intensified high-pressure systems over the Aegean Sea to stronger northwesterly winds, exacerbating fire spread. Experts warn that the Eastern Mediterranean, already warming at twice the global average, is becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme climate-driven disasters.