La justicia térmica ¿un nuevo horizonte del derecho ambiental?

Abstract

This article analyzes thermal justice as a framework for addressing rights violations resulting from state inaction in the face of extreme heat. The main objective is to demonstrate that unequal exposure to high temperatures and the lack of access to cooling constitute a structural failure of the state that violates fundamental rights. The research is based on a methodology of documentary and theoretical-conceptual analysis, reviewing the transition from environmental justice to thermal justice and examining state obligations regarding health, housing, and the environment. Concepts such as “thermal sacrifice zones” and “systemic cooling poverty” are used to identify socially constructed inequities. The findings establish that, although there is no explicit “right to be cool,” this right is grounded in the interpretation of preexisting rights. It is evident that the omission of thermal comfort standards in urban planning and building codes constitutes state negligence that perpetuates inequality. The main conclusion is that this systematic failure to act constitutes an unconstitutional omission that transforms heat waves into social disasters, violating the rights to life, health, and equality of the most vulnerable populations. Thermal justice thus emerges as a demand for state accountability to guarantee a dignified life in the context of global warming.

Keywords

human settlements

environmental law

environmental management

built environment

land-use planning

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