[Seminar] When the Forest Burns: Health Impacts and Legal Responses To Extreme Heat in Europe

As part of the course Ecosystems and Human Health Policies taught by Camille Bertaux (UCLouvain), EUMERGENCIES and CEDRE are pleased to invite you to a joint seminar open to the public.

This session addresses a pressing contemporary issue: the surge in wildfires and severe heatwaves driven by climate change. Adopting a health-centered perspective directly aligned with the course, the seminar explores how these extreme events affect human health and how climate law can respond to or integrate these challenges.

The seminar features two guest experts:

• Jacques Teller (Professor of Urban Planning at ULiège), whose work focuses on urban heat islands and climate change adaptation, will present scientific evidence on heat-related mortality and wildfire smoke exposure.
• Marlies Hesselman (Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Groningen), who specializes in the intersection of climate and health in legal frameworks, will examine how international and EU climate law address the right to health and discuss recent litigation before European courts.

The presentation will conclude with an open debate on how European policies can better safeguard public health in a warming climate.

Programme

• 5:15 PM: Introduction by Camille Bertaux (UCLouvain)
• 5:30 PM: Heatwaves, wildfires and human health impacts – Jacques Teller (ULiège)
• 6:00 PM: EU and international climate law and human health – Marlies Hesselman (University of Groningen)
• 6:30 PM: Open Discussion

Practical Details

• Date: Thursday, 19 November 2026
• Time: 5:15 PM – 7:00 PM
• Location: UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles, Room P02 (Address: Boulevard du Jardin botanique 43, 1000 Brussels)
• Framework: EUMERGENCIES & CEDRE Seminar Series – Ecosystems and Human Health Policies
• Target Audience: Open to all students, researchers, and the general public.

Registration

Follow the link here