Record Heat, Solar Production and Climate Litigation
Ready to catch up on sustainability news? This month we dive into the ICJ declaring the Paris Agreement legally binding, the drop in factory farming investments, record-breaking heat in the Nordics, and the rise of solar as the EU’s biggest electricity source.
■ ICJ declares 1.5°C target legally binding, paving the way for climate litigation
In a potentially game-changing moment for climate accountability, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion this month, declaring that the 1.5 °C target under the Paris Agreement is not just aspirational, but legally binding. The ruling confirms that states are obligated to take concrete measures to prevent climate harm, including by regulating private actors such as fossil fuel producers. According to the ICJ, failing to do so could amount to an internationally wrongful act, opening the door to legal consequences for climate inaction. This conclusion is based on both treaty-based and customary law obligations, including the principle of prevention, human rights, and the law of the sea. Although ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding, they are expected to influence both domestic and international litigation by serving as authoritative guidance and providing leverage for claimants in ongoing cases.
■ Shift in funding signals growing support for climate-friendly farming
A new analysis by the Stop Financing Factory Farming Coalition shows that global financial institutions significantly scaled back support for industrial animal agriculture in 2024. Specifically, investments in factory farming fell by 46%, from $2.27 billion in 2023 to $1.23 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, funding for more sustainable livestock systems, such as small-scale, climate-friendly farming, more than tripled, from $77 million to $244 million. Today, global food systems are responsible for around one-third of GHG emissions each year. Agriculture is also, by far, the biggest driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss. Producing less meat, and integrating nature into farms are examples of ways that scientists say can reduce environmental harm from farms. Yet, despite this progress, factory farming still received five times as much investment as these greener alternatives, highlighting the urgent need for sustained momentum toward truly sustainable food systems.
■ Nordic countries face the highest temperatures in decades
Nordic countries faced their longest streak of temperatures above 30°C in records dating back to 1961. A weather station above the Arctic Circle recorded temperatures exceeding 30°C on 13 days in July. In Lapland, Sweden, the heatwave lasted 15 days, while northern Finland endured three consecutive weeks of 30 °C heat. These temperatures were 8–10 °C above seasonal norms, taking many by surprise. Swedish radio reported that foreign tourists traveling to northern Scandinavia for “coolcations” were instead met with heat warnings, while Norwegian media covered cases of Middle Eastern tourists cancelling their vacations due to the high temperatures. Researchers have previously found that countries such as the UK, Norway, and Switzerland are expected to experience the greatest relative increase in uncomfortably hot days as the planet warms, warning that existing infrastructure is poorly equipped to cope. This latest heatwave serves as a stark reminder of the need to strengthen infrastructure and climate resilience in northern regions, as extreme heat is expected to become increasingly common and severe.
■ Solar becomes Europe’s biggest power source for the first time ever
In a major breakthrough for Europe’s clean-energy transition, solar power became the EU’s largest electricity source for the first time in June 2025. Solar generated 22.1% of EU electricity (45.4 TWh), surpassing nuclear’s 21.8% and wind’s 15.8%. The records are largely a result of continuing installations of solar in recent years, alongside stretches of hot and sunny weather. At least 13 member states, including Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria, set new monthly solar generation records this summer. Wind also delivered a strong start to summer, with May and June seeing record generation levels, 16.6% and 15.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, coal hit a historic low: just 6.1% of EU electricity in June, down from 8.8% in June 2024. Coal output plunged in Germany and Poland, the largest users of coal power in the EU, with both countries reaching their lowest monthly coal share ever, largely due to high renewable energy generation. Several other nations, including Denmark and Spain, also hit record lows as coal continued its decline.
