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Global Warming Tied to Heat Wave; Lawsuits Loom A new study in the journal Nature finds that global warming probably contributed to Europe's killer heat wave of 2003. Some experts say the evidence from such studies could potentially be used in court against utilities and other companies that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. NPR's Richard Harris reports.
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Global Warming Tied to Heat Wave; Lawsuits Loom

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Global Warming Tied to Heat Wave; Lawsuits Loom

Environment

Global Warming Tied to Heat Wave; Lawsuits Loom

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Global Warming Tied to Heat Wave; Lawsuits Loom

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Parisians cool down during the killer heat wave of 2003, which caused raging fires and billions of dollars in crop losses across Europe. Myles Allen at Oxford University says it was the worst heat wave in the region in at least 500 years. Norman Godwin /Corbis hide caption

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Norman Godwin /Corbis

A new study in the journal Nature finds that global warming probably contributed to Europe's killer heat wave of 2003. Some experts say the evidence from such studies could potentially be used in court against utilities and other companies that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. NPR's Richard Harris reports.