(de-news.net) – German political, scientific, architectural, and medical representatives have called for stronger adaptation to intensifying heat waves as record temperatures swept the country, highlighting the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, urban redesign, and improved protection of public health.
According to Wiebke Winter, deputy chair of the CDU/CSU Climate Union and parliamentary leader of the CDU in Bremen, the principal responsibility for protecting Germany’s population from increasingly severe heat waves lies with state and local governments. She maintained that adaptation strategies must be tailored to the differing geographical and urban conditions of individual municipalities rather than applied uniformly nationwide. As examples of such locally appropriate measures, she cited the installation of public drinking fountains, the expansion of urban green spaces, and investment in climate-resilient infrastructure designed to mitigate the effects of extreme heat. Winter also noted that the federal states already have access to financial resources for these initiatives through existing infrastructure funding programs.
Peter Liese, a Conservative member of the European Parliament, called on European Union member states to assign greater priority to climate policy within their national budgets instead of relying on additional financial support from the European level. While responding to criticism from major industrial companies over the rising compliance costs associated with the EU Emissions Trading System, he defended the mechanism as a central instrument of European climate policy. At the same time, he argued that the system should be adjusted where necessary to correct unintended consequences, while continuing to provide effective incentives for businesses to invest in low-carbon technologies and other climate-friendly measures.
According to preliminary figures released by the German Weather Service (DWD), Saarbrück recorded a temperature of 41.3°C, the highest ever measured in Germany. The reading surpassed the previous national record of 41.2°C, which had been established in July 2019. Temperatures also exceeded 40°C in several other locations, while 147 weather stations registered their hottest June day since records began. Forecasts indicate that the period of extreme heat will extend across the entire country over the weekend, leading to the cancellation of numerous public events and expected disruptions to rail transportation. Meteorologists attributed the prolonged heat episode to an Omega blocking pattern, a persistent high-pressure system that traps hot air over a region for an extended period and thereby sustains exceptionally high temperatures.
Experts call for urban redesign and stronger health protections
Andreas Becker, a climate specialist at the DWD, warned that climate change was likely to produce increasingly frequent early-season heat waves across Europe as average background temperatures continued to rise. He explained that the cooling influence previously provided by the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding land surfaces during late spring and early summer had gradually weakened, making unusually high temperatures during May and June more likely than in previous decades. Becker also stressed that the health risks associated with such extreme temperatures should not be underestimated and suggested that Germany could eventually consider introducing midday work breaks comparable to the siesta traditionally observed in parts of southern Europe during periods of intense heat.
In response to the growing frequency and intensity of heat waves, Roswag-Klinge, president of the Berlin Chamber of Architects, advocated a comprehensive redesign of urban environments through expanded vegetation, reduced use of glass façades, and greater reliance on traditional construction materials such as wood and clay. He further proposed converting underutilized parking areas into green spaces to improve the urban microclimate. At the same time, he cautioned against the widespread installation of air-conditioning systems, arguing that although they cool indoor spaces, they merely transfer heat outdoors and thereby contribute to higher temperatures in densely populated metropolitan districts.
The Marburger Bund Physicians’ Association criticized what it described as inadequate protection against extreme heat in German hospitals, noting that only about one-third of healthcare facilities provide air-conditioned patient rooms. Its chair, Susanne Johna, urged policymakers, architects, and hospital administrators to place greater emphasis on heat resilience when planning and constructing healthcare buildings. She argued that, even in newly built facilities, external shading measures were at times sacrificed for aesthetic considerations. Johna emphasized that excessive heat represents a significant burden and a serious health risk for patients, adding that mortality rates increase during periods of extreme heat, including among hospitalized patients.
Audio: TTSFree
