Germany Faces Urgent Calls to Boost Heat Protection Amid Rising Extreme Heat Risks

Germany currently lacks sufficient preparedness for extreme heat events, sparking urgent calls from over 150 institutions for better integration of heat protection into the country's crisis management and healthcare systems. Experts warn that increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves, driven by global warming, pose a severe health threat, especially to older, ill, and dependent individuals.

According to Klaus Reinhardt, president of the Federal Medical Association, prolonged and intense heat ranks among the greatest health risks, presenting major challenges to the healthcare system. Criticism has been directed at hospitals and care facilities for their inadequate measures against climate-driven heat, with demands for legally mandated protections, investments in renovations, air conditioning, and heat mitigation efforts.

The situation was highlighted during the fourth national Heat Action Day. Heat domes, formed by stable high-pressure zones trapping hot air, can cause tens of thousands of deaths in days if unmitigated. Immediate recommendations emphasize raising public awareness and promoting heat-healthy behaviors, including regular hydration, cool environments, and symptom recognition. Targeted efforts are advised for caregivers in childcare, nursing homes, and hospitals.

Beyond short-term responses, experts stress long-term urban planning initiatives such as increasing greenery through shade trees, green facades and roofs, park creation, reducing sealed surfaces, and establishing fresh air corridors to mitigate urban heat.

Reinhard Herrmann, chairman of the German Alliance on Climate Change and Health, underscored that climate protection itself is the best heat protection and lamented the lost priority of the issue in public discussions, calling for heightened public consciousness.

In summary, the call from diverse organizations for the rapid and comprehensive incorporation of heat protection into disaster preparedness underscores a critical need for systemic change in Germany’s approach to extreme heat driven by climate change.