Germany: heat wave is over, political fallout has just begun
After a major heat wave, critics say leaders need to do more for climate change adaption. Policymakers disagree on who's responsible to prepare Germany for
After a major heat wave, critics say leaders need to do more for climate change adaption. Policymakers disagree on who's responsible to prepare Germany for extreme temperatures ― the federal government or municipalities. This past weekend saw recording-breaking temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Germany. These are life-threatening situations for residents of retirement and nursing homes, and hospitals with little or no air conditioning. One reason for this is that Germany doesn't have any national heat protection regulations that would require cooling systems in such facilities. Infrastructure was also affected, with trains and trams unable to function and the asphalt on many roads cracking. Experts have been issuing warnings for a long time. Speaking on Deutschlandfunk Radio (DLF), Andreas Becker, a climate expert at the German Weather Service, said that temperatures in Germany are rising steadily and will continue to do so in the coming years. Europe's heat wave: The worst is yet to come To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Europe hit hardest by global warming According to the Federal Environment Agency, around 50 hectares of land were turned into residential, transportation and commercial areas in Germany every single day between 2021 and 2024. In other words: Every day in Germany, 70 soccer fields' worth of natural areas disappeared.
Sealing soil prevents rainwater from seeping into the ground, leading to severe flooding during heavy rainfall. In addition, sealed surfaces can no longer allow water to evaporate, causing cities to heat up excessively and creating dangerously hot urban areas. So, what can policymakers do to ensure the country is better prepared for extreme temperatures in the future? Plans for cities already exist, but implementing them takes time and is expensive. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider from Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) said Monday on public broadcaster ARD that he does not believe it is up to the federal government in Berlin to lead the way in adapting to climate change. "The responsibility lies with the federal states and municipalities," he said. "For example, I cannot even provide financial support because Germany's Basic Law prohibits me from doing so." The environment minister did promise to discuss with his conservative coalition partners the possibility of amending the Basic Law so that the federal government could take a more active role in implementing such changes. But he added that states and municipalities do have around €100 billion ($114 billion) available for climate projects thanks to the €500 billion infrastructure program approved after last year's federal election. How Europeans cope with the record-breaking heat wave To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Climate Council: Germany set to miss its own CO2 reduction targets Greenhouse gases are primarily generated by burning fossil fuels.
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