Climate breakdown lengthens pollen season across UK and Europe
Climate breakdown lengthens pollen season across UK and Europe
New Lancet review finds warming temperatures and higher CO2 extend pollen seasons in the UK and Europe, amplifying hay fever for millions.
Climate breakdown has lengthened the pollen season in the UK and mainland Europe by between one and two weeks since the 1990s, according to a major European health review published in Lancet. The change adds itchy eyes, runny noses and other allergic symptoms to the harm already caused by fossil fuel pollution, underscoring how warming temperatures are shaping everyday health.
Warm weather and higher carbon dioxide levels let plants pump out more pollen, triggering reactions that range from mild irritation to potentially severe outcomes. The latest review found birch, alder and olive pollen began 1–2 weeks earlier in 2015–2024 than in 1991–2000; birch pollen seasonal severity rose by about 14–20%.
Geographically, the increases are strongest in the south of the UK, northern France and Germany, and parts of eastern Europe, with alder also showing higher pollen production during longer seasons.
Separately, researchers warn about invasive ragweed, whose pollen is projected to become a common health problem as it expands into new regions.
"Pollen allergies are a health risk of climate change," said a pollen researcher, noting that global warming has already had an impact on pollination.
For millions, hay fever is more than a nuisance—it's a daily burden that can disrupt work, school and sleep, and it adds pressure on health services during warm months.
The findings add to calls for stronger climate action and better pollen forecasts, warning that living with allergy symptoms could become the new normal for more people across Europe.
