Germany Grapples with Record Heatwaves and Climate Adaptation Challenges

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 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.

Climate Council: Germany set to miss its own CO2 reduction targets

Greenhouse gases are primarily generated by burning fossil fuels. They act as an insulating blanket around Earth, causing global temperatures to rise.

Germany is committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by about 65% by 2030, as measured against 1990 levels and has already achieved 48% of that goal. But many experts do not believe the government can meet its promised target.

Even with a strong climate policy, the effects of the greenhouse effect are expected to intensify in Germany over the next few years, as these are a consequence of CO2 emissions from previous years.

The current government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), however, is once again allowing the installation of new oil and gas heating systems.

Greenpeace proposes an ecological tax on billionaires

Martin Kaiser, head of International Climate Politics at Greenpeace Germany, told DW, "Many municipalities are already heavily in debt, meaning the special fund alone is insufficient, for example, to quickly eliminate heat-absorbing concrete surfaces, create water-retaining green spaces, or plant shade-providing trees. Such measures require long-term public support and investment and cannot be financed by one-time investments alone."

Greenpeace has proposed an environmental tax on billionaires as a solution; however, there does not currently appear to be enough support for this within the governing coalition.

Germany's opposition parties have been quick to criticize the government. The chair of the socialist Left Party, Ines Schwerdtner, said that more needs to be invested in public transport — especially in cities — so that buses and trains can operate safely even during extreme heat.

Green Party leader Felix Banaszak called for providing direct support — without red tape — to particularly vulnerable facilities such as retirement and nursing homes. Banaszak also commented on the government's failure to issue a statement during the heat wave: "One gets the feeling that Friedrich Merz and his government have agreed to keep quiet on the issue and were simply hoping to avoid having to say anything about the situation until it rains again," he told reporters.

Climate protection has lost much of its urgency

What's more, most Germans don't seem as concerned about climate protection as they once were.

In a nationwide survey published in early June by the polling institute infratest-Dimap, only about 10% of respondents said that environmental protection and climate change were the most important or second-most important issues for them.

Instead, issues such as the economic downturn and immigration topped the list.

That said, the survey was conducted before Germany experienced its hottest heat wave to date.