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All the latest on climate change: articles, analysis and ongoing coverage from Lost in the Jungle.
Climate
Forest fire risk in Brandenburg, Germany, has risen again on July 25, 2026, following a period of lower alert levels. Alert level 3 out of 5 — indicating moderate fire danger — is now in effect across 10 of the state's 14 districts. These affected zones are primarily concentrated in the western parts of Brandenburg, according to reports from the German news agency dpa, as covered by Die Zeit.
World
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is examining Greece's candidacy for Mount Olympus during its 48th session in Busan, South Korea, beginning July 26, 2026. Greece first submitted this application in 2014, citing the site's exceptional cultural and environmental significance. At 2,918 meters, Mount Olympus is Greece's highest mountain and the mythological home of the ancient Greek gods. The site attracts approximately 500,000 visitors annually, a figure rising sharply over the past decade. The committee's decision is expected before the session closes on July 29, 2026.
World
Some 34,000 lightning strikes hit British Columbia in one week, triggering 90 active fires and 25 evacuation orders as of July 24, 2026, according to The Guardian. Northwestern Ontario logged 139 active fires, 32 of which are out of control. Overall, 2.95 million hectares burned across Canada in 2026, exceeding the ten-year average of 2.55 million. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the season one of the most intense ever recorded. Ottawa is mobilizing over 5,300 firefighters and approximately 300 aircraft; Mexico is to send up to 200 reinforcements.
Climate
Powerful wildfires forced tens of thousands of residents in southern Europe to evacuate following successive heatwaves. The most lethal danger is indirect: according to The Guardian, air pollution from fires kills 1.5 million people worldwide annually. In 2023, smoke from Canadian wildfires caused 22,000 premature deaths in Europe. Climate change, with approximately 1.3°C of global warming, intensifies this risk. By the end of the century, the globally burned area could increase by 40% to 100%.
World
A school in Nuremberg, Germany, has been so severely damaged by heavy rainfall that no classes will be able to take place during the next school year, with the start of term scheduled for mid-September 2026. The city of Nuremberg is currently seeking a solution to determine where and how the affected students will be able to continue their education, according to German newspaper Die Zeit.
World
Two major wildfires are ravaging the Marseille region and the Bay of Arcachon in France. More than 20,000 people — tourists, campers, and vacationers — have been forced to evacuate to gymnasiums and community halls. On July 23, 2026, a fire tornado formed near Saumos, propelling flaming debris across great distances. Approximately 50,000 hectares have burned in total. Meteorological conditions — temperatures exceeding 30°C, strong winds, and dry pine forests — are maintaining elevated risk in the coming days.
Climate
Europe's June 2026 heatwave — the warmest June ever recorded in Western Europe — destroyed approximately 9 million tonnes of cereals and cost EU and UK farmers some €2 billion (£1.7 billion) in lost revenues, according to the ECIU. France bore the brunt, losing 3.4 million tonnes of maize valued at €891 million. Hungary (2.4 Mt) and Spain (1.4 Mt) were the second and third most affected nations. The 2026 harvest is expected to be the weakest since 2018, falling 9 million tonnes short of pre-heatwave forecasts. The extreme temperatures coincided with critical growth stages for cereals: maize pollination and wheat grain fill, both especially vulnerable to heat and water stress.
World
On July 22, 2026, Greenpeace filed a petition with Dutch courts against JBS, the world's largest meat company, demanding it disclose how its $6 billion global expansion plan aligns with its climate, environmental, and human rights commitments. The petition specifically targets a $2.5 billion investment in Nigeria — six major slaughterhouse facilities on 1.2 million hectares of land. JBS relocated its headquarters to the Netherlands in 2025, exposing itself to Dutch courts, renowned for their openness to climate litigation.
World
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published on July 20, 2026 new data documenting a sharp increase in global air conditioner sales, which it describes as a "boom". Rising temperatures, expanding middle classes, and falling device prices are driving this acceleration. The IEA warns of the proliferation of energy-inefficient models that strain electrical grids and increase household electricity bills. In response, stricter regulations governing the sale of air conditioners are being called for.
World
A wildfire that started on Thursday, July 16, 2026, in La Mierla, within the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara (Castile-La Mancha, Spain), had consumed 26,000 hectares by July 20, becoming the largest fire in the region's history. The fire's perimeter reaches 120 kilometers. Between 32 and 33 municipalities have been evacuated with over 1,200 people displaced since the night of Sunday, July 19. Regional authorities describe the fire as "far from being under control." No deaths have been reported.
Climate
During the year's third heat wave, multiple forest fires broke out across southern France and Corsica on July 20, 2026. In Taradeau (Var), over 600 firefighters are battling the most violent fire, which remained uncontrolled at the end of the evening. One hundred fifty people have been evacuated and several homes destroyed. In Corsica, two simultaneous fires in the north of the island burned over 320 hectares near Albertacce. Fontainebleau Forest also lost approximately 2,000 hectares.
Climate
During an extreme heat wave in Berlin from June 24 to July 2, 2026, emergency services responded to 23% more incidents than typically expected for the period, according to research from the Free University of Berlin (Freie Universität Berlin). The extreme heat cost more than 4,000 lives across Germany in late June 2026, according to estimates. Researchers established their comparison using data from June 4–17, 2026, as a baseline period representing normal conditions.
World
Ouessant, the westernmost island in Brittany, shelters one of the last preserved populations of the black bee, a species once widespread throughout France and now classified as endangered. Volunteer beekeepers there monitor dozens of hives shielded from pesticides and intensive agriculture. The species displays increased resilience to climate variations compared to other bee species. A report by Floriane Zaslavsky for Le Temps, published July 18, 2026, documents this race against time.
Climate
According to Le Monde on July 18, 2026, a groundbreaking study estimates excess mortality — an abnormally elevated death rate compared to baseline — linked to extreme heat in India for the first time, calculating approximately 30,000 deaths in just five days during heat wave episodes. India, the world's most populous country, faces extreme humid heat conditions among the highest global exposures. Researchers increasingly consider these heat episodes to be growing more frequent.
World
After several days of extreme heat, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) will experience a sharp drop in temperatures this weekend, according to the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), Germany's national meteorological service. On Saturday, the sky will be partly to heavily cloudy, with highs between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. Isolated showers are possible in the mountainous areas of the state (Bergland), but conditions will remain mostly dry overall. Strong wind gusts are expected at times throughout the weekend.
World
A triple heat wave fueled deadly forest fires across Western Europe in July 2026. France, Portugal, and Spain each recorded the highest number of forest fires for this time of year. Spain's death toll reached 13. French firefighters battled between 250 and 300 simultaneous fires over three weeks. In Canada, smoke from approximately 100 wildfires in northern Ontario made Toronto the world's most polluted city on July 15, before the plume crossed the U.S. border and reached New York. Experts warn of operational collapse risk for firefighting services facing hotter, more unpredictable fires.
Switzerland
Drought is depriving Switzerland's alpine pastures—seasonal mountain grazing lands—of drinking water for livestock, threatening the survival of mountain herds. According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, each dairy cow drinks up to 100 liters of water per day, yet high-altitude water reserves are depleting despite adequate grass stocks. Alpine farmers fear emergency culls if the water shortage persists. Last week's thunderstorms provided only temporary relief: soils, streams, and groundwater aquifers remain in growing deficit. The drought is also raising the risk of forest fires across Switzerland.
Tech & Science
On July 17, 2026, more than 890 fires burned actively across Canada—including over 190 in Ontario—consuming nearly 3 million hectares. Smoke drifted into multiple U.S. states, from Minnesota to New York, triggering "dangerous" air quality alerts. That day, Detroit recorded the world's worst air quality according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality tracker. Four Republican lawmakers from Michigan wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing Canada of "continued inaction." Ottawa and Ontario rejected the accusations, emphasizing their operational response.
Tech & Science
In 2026, the United Nations reported that 266 million people worldwide were facing acute food insecurity—double the number recorded a decade earlier. Armed conflicts, particularly the Middle East conflict, accelerating climate disruption, and economic crises exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic are driving this alarming surge. The analysis comes from Sébastien Abis, director of Club Demeter and researcher at IRIS, the French geopolitical think tank, speaking on RFI's program "Le grand invité international" on July 17, 2026.
World
A Spanish research study published on July 16, 2026 in Science journal reveals that the desiccated bed of the Aral Sea has released 748 million tonnes of CO₂ since 1960 — equivalent to the combined annual emissions of Spain, France, and Belgium. An additional 605 million tonnes could potentially be released from this site. Researchers propose financing partial refilling through carbon credits, valued at between €3.1 and €15.8 billion. Lake desiccation, now a worldwide phenomenon, represents an underestimated climate risk.