Europe is the fastest-warming continent. Tens of thousands of Europeans have died due to extreme heat over the past few years. Meanwhile, only 19% of homes and businesses had air conditioning as of 2022, putting many people at heightened risk. And it’s not just a problem in warmer Mediterranean climes; northern countries used to cooler weather are feeling the effects, too. 

With global temperatures on track to rise by as much as 3.1 degrees C (5.6 degrees F) by 2100, dangerous heatwaves and demand for air conditioning are only growing. WRI examined future heat risks in places like Barcelona, Amsterdam, Istanbul and 80+ other European cities to show how the impacts could play out across the continent. 

The world wastes an enormous amount of food: between 30% and 40% of what we produce, according to estimates. But which is it? And why does so much food go uneaten? Our experts explain why food loss and waste is so hard to measure — and why doing so is worth the effort. 

Negotiators at the UN climate summit (COP29) eked out a deal on climate finance that will provide $300 billion per year to developing countries by 2035 — triple the current climate finance goal, but still a far cry from what’s needed. WRI President & CEO Ani Dasgupta explains how this hard-won compromise came about and what it means for the future of climate action. 

"Our grandmothers taught us which plants heal the soil. Now, we're teaching scientists," said Naiyan Kiplagat, founder of a women’s restoration collective in Kenya. Next week, Kiplagat will join global leaders at a global desertification summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to champion women-led restoration efforts across Africa — and show why they urgently need more support. 

Our new analysis predicts that at 3 degrees C of temperature rise — which the world is currently headed toward by 2100 — major cities in Europe will see an average of 32% longer heatwaves and more than a 50% uptick in the number of dangerously hot days.