Extreme weather: How should Germany prepare for it?

The federal government wants to better warn the population about extreme weather events in the future. This emerges from the federal government’s new climate adaptation strategy, which is to be approved by the cabinet this Wednesday. For the first time, it sets measurable and therefore more binding targets for dealing with events such as heat, drought, heavy rain and floods, which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change. Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) speaks of “entry into dynamic climate adaptation management”. An overview of the most important points:

After the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley in July 2021, the results were devastating. At least 135 people died and thousands lost their belongings. After a short time it became clear: many had not reached safety because they had not been warned in time about the floods.

A failure that the federal government wants not to repeat: by 2030, the federal government wants to significantly expand warning systems in the event of extreme weather and increase their range. Despite existing precautions – such as warnings via public broadcasting or sirens – there are still “gaps in the technical transmission of warning messages,” as the strategy paper states.

That is why, among other things, the number of users of the nationwide warning app Nina is expected to grow from currently around twelve million to 16 million users by the end of the decade. That would be an increase of 30 percent – which should be achieved, among other things, through more educational campaigns. The central hurdle so far: The app, which the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) offers, must be actively downloaded and installed by users on their cell phones – otherwise there is no warning.

In order to better protect people from extreme heat and create cooling places in the future, cities should become greener. Near places of residence and work, the population should be able to reach these green spaces “within an easy walking distance,” as the paper states.

This accessibility to green spaces should be kept “at least stable” until 2030 and be mandatory for the urban area and surrounding areas of all cities with 10,000 inhabitants or more. In areas where there is a priority need for action due to a particular risk of heat, the green spaces should not only remain stable, but should also be expanded.

In addition, the federal government also wants to take measures against the sealing of areas. Built-up and impermeable soils pose a high risk in the event of heavy rain, for example, because the water cannot drain away. Therefore, land consumption should be reduced to less than 30 hectares per day by 2030. For comparison: From 2019 to 2022, according to the federal government’s official area statistics, an average of around 52 hectares were newly designated as traffic and settlement areas every day in Germany.

Efficient use of water is crucial for adapting to the consequences of the climate crisis. In Germany, available water resources have decreased in recent years. Water management is therefore becoming increasingly important.

The new strategy stipulates that no more than 20 percent of the available water volume may be used over a longer period of time. Providing the population with drinking water is the “top priority”. The internationally recognized threshold of 20 percent provides an indication of whether the use of water resources is sustainable or whether there is a water shortage. According to information, it has not been exceeded in Germany since 2007.

Good water management concepts should also make farmers’ businesses future-proof. The strategy stipulates that farmers’ yields in Germany must not fluctuate more than before due to climate change until 2030 – and in the next step until 2050.

The resilience of companies to the effects of climate change should also be kept stable. To this end, financial support for farmers should be managed in such a way that it serves to adapt to the consequences of climate change more than before.

The paper also stipulates that by 2030, 80 percent of the municipalities that are legally obliged to do so must present climate adaptation concepts. According to the Ministry of the Environment, there is currently no exact number of municipalities that are subject to such an obligation. However, it can be assumed that the majority of municipalities will have to present such concepts, it is said. According to estimates, only around ten to 15 percent of municipalities and around 26 percent of districts have done this so far.

Climate adaptation strategies have existed since 2008. The Climate Adaptation Act stipulates that the new adaptation strategy is updated every four years and that the achievement of the goals is measured using indicators. A possible change of political power after the federal election in February next year will not in itself have any impact on this process. The current strategy continues to apply – even if the next lead environment minister is no longer named Steffi Lemke.