Germany: Heat wave is over, political fallout has just begun

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, Andreas Becker, a climate expert at the German Weather Service, said 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 (120 acres) 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 cause cities to heat up excessively and create dangerously hot urban areas known as heat islands.

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 said Monday on public broadcaster ARD that he does not believe it's 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."

Schneider did promise to discuss with his conservative coalition partners the possibility of amending the Basic Law, Germany's constitution, 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 the 2025 federal election.

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 believe the government won't be able to meet its promised target. 

Even with a strong climate policy, the greenhouse effect is 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, 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, said funding for climate projects remains a barrier for many communities.

"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," he told DW. "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 appear to be enough support for this within the current governing coalition.

Germany's opposition parties have been quick to criticize the government for its lack of support. The chair of the socialist Left Party, Ines Schwerdtner, said 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. He 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 earlier this week.

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.

This article was originally written in German.