German government calls for national heatwave action plan

Temperatures in Germany have never been so high, and residents are sweltering in yet another heatwave. The country’s State Secretary for the Environment, Jochen Flasbarth, says the government needs to do more.

Federal government to create heatwave plan

Water shortages, 40 degrees celsius heatwaves and train cancellations: Germany is struggling to cope with excessive temperatures this summer. While some federal states have action plans in place to protect residents from the heat, more needs to be done at a national level, according to Flasbarth.

“I believe the lesson we've learned from this summer is that next summer we'll also need a national action plan that consolidates everything from the individual states,” reports die Zeit. The State Secretary for the Environment, however, did not confirm what would be included in the plan.

Local heatwave prevention also needed

Local authorities, as well as federal states and the federal government, also have a role to play in heat prevention measures as the country faces a future of hot, dry summers as global warming progresses.

Flasbarth commented on a recent renovation in Berlin, asking, “Is it really sensible to renovate the Gendarmenmarkt in the heart of Berlin for a lot of money and not plant a single tree?" Planting trees in an urban environment provides shade and may help reduce temperatures in big cities.

The June heatwave alone cost Germany 5.780 excess deaths, as many struggle to stay cool. The country is also facing increasingly severe thunderstorms and wildfires.