A window into what we’re reading at the Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program

Heat-Related Deaths May Have Tripled during Europe’s Heat Wave (Washington Post) 

A record-breaking heat wave in late June and early July pushed temperatures well above 100°F across Europe. Analysis from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that of the 2,300 heat-related deaths in 12 major European cities between June 23 and July 2, 1,500 would not have occurred without the additional 1.3°C of warming caused by climate change.  

Older adults, children, and those with chronic illnesses were especially hard-hit: 88% of the excess deaths were people aged 65 or older. The findings echo broader trends – heat-related mortality in Europe has risen 30% in the last two decades, according to Copernicus.  In 2000, 2 billion people endured at least a month of life-threatening extreme heat. By 2050, this number will reach over 5 billion people.  

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Inter-American Court Says Countries Must Prevent Climate Harms (Human Rights Watch) 

In a landmark ruling, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared that countries must safeguard the climate system as part of their human rights obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights. The ruling applies to all 34 member states of the Organization of American States, including the U.S. and Canada and emphasizes protections for communities most at risk: Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant communities, rural populations, and children. The court called for science-based measures mitigation, strong regulation, and inclusive policymaking. The opinion could spur new climate commitments, especially in Latin America, where climate change is intensifying human rights.  

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In Latin America, Energy Transition Stirs a Rise in Human Rights Lawsuits (Mongabay) 

A new report by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre found that more than half of the world’s 95 energy –transition-related lawsuits were filed in Latin America and the Caribbean, and nearly half of those were filed by Indigenous groups.  

Most target the mining of transition minerals like lithium and copper, which account for 70% of global cases and often cite water contamination and environmental damage. Renewable energy projects also face legal challenges, with 80% of cases involving inadequate community consultation. 

The findings highlight growing tensions between clean energy development and human rights protections and signal rising risks for companies and governments seeking to establish projects without meaningful community consultation.  

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