Augsburg fights against heat: New action plan protects citizens!

Augsburg fights against heat: New action plan protects citizens!

It's getting hot in Augsburg - and not just in the figurative sense! On Monday, July 14th, the environmental committee will discuss the city's new heat action plan. The aim of this plan is to protect the population from the health risks that can arise from the heat of climate change. DAZ Augsburg reports that there is a whole package of measures that specifically affects heat protection in public spaces.

A main focus is on “heat-friendly events”, which should be equipped with shady and cool areas. Temporary greening of public spaces is also part of the plan. In addition, heat protection measures are planned for playgrounds to provide children with a safe place to play even in high temperatures. With currently around five hot days per year in which temperatures exceed 30 degrees, these measures are urgently needed. Climate models even predict that this number could rise to 10 to 15 hot days by mid-century, posing alarming health risks.

Health risks and excess mortality

But not all statements in the draft resolution are uncontroversial. The submission claims that “severe heat stress leads to significant excess mortality” – a statement that remains without a source. However, statistical data from the German Weather Service and the Federal Statistical Office show that excess mortality is often higher in the winter months. In 2023, only 37 people were recorded as direct heat deaths in Germany, whereas the number of hospital treatments due to heat decreased compared to previous years.

In 2023, the number of annual hospitalizations due to heat and sunlight has decreased from 1,400 to 800. This could be due to better public awareness of the dangers of high temperatures. At the same time, the Robert Koch Institute produces estimates of heat-related deaths, which makes clear a discrepancy between the media reports of tens of thousands of heat deaths and the official figures of only 37 heat deaths. The question remains whether these people died from or with heat and how exactly these deaths should be classified.

Measures and responsibility

In Germany, responsibility for heat action plans lies primarily with the states and municipalities. The Federal Ministry of Health emphasizes that such plans are absolutely necessary to protect the population from hot periods. The framework for action is based on recommendations drawn up by the federal and state governments in 2017 and includes eight core elements that must be adapted to the specific circumstances of each municipality.

The measures can range from new urban design concepts to campaigns for more urban greenery and information campaigns. More and more cities and municipalities are calling for such measures to increase the quality of life in hot summers and protect the health of citizens.

The coming discussions about the heat action plan in Augsburg could be crucial for the future of the city - not only from a climatic point of view, but also in terms of the health of the population. It remains to be seen how the city administration will respond to the urgent needs and what concrete steps will follow.