Heat action plans in Germany

Even though August tends to be cool in Germany, some extreme heat days were reached in June and July 2019. Such heat extremes are becoming more likely with climate change. Since the heatwave summer of 2003, it is known that especially elderly and chronically ill people can die from it; 7000 additional deaths were estimated in Germany. Mentally impaired people and small children, as well as so-called outdoor workers, are also among the most vulnerable population groups. A greater risk to socially disadvantaged groups is discussed, but cannot be proven for Germany.

Based on the WHO guidelines for the development of heat action plans from 2008, recommendations for action for the development of heat action plans to reduce the risk to human health from heat and increased solar radiation were developed in a former federal/state ad hoc working group 'Health Adaptation to the Consequences of Climate Change' (GAK) led by the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) and published in 2017. But what does the practice in Germany look like?

"Together with our cooperation partner adelphi, we would like to find out how the GAK recommendations for action have impacted Länder and municipalities, which heat action plans exist in Germany and what measures are in place to prevent health damage due to heat extremes in Germany" reports Prof. Dr. Henny Annette Grewe, the project leader in the Department of Nursing and Health. "Beyond the evaluation, we also have an advisory mandate for municipalities in the three-year project from the Federal Environment Agency, which is funding the project. In this respect, it is a project that also strengthens the university's transfer services."

In addition to measures for acute cases, which can include the provision of cool rooms for endangered population groups, heat action plans always include medium- and long-term measures, e.g. urban planning, as well as monitoring of the success or the incidence of illness during heat events.

Information on the project: <link nursing-and-health research research-focus climate-change-and-health heat-action-plans>www.hs-fulda.de/pflege-und-gesundheit/forschung/forschungsschwerpunkte/klimawandel-und-gesundheit/hitzeaktionsplaene

Information on the department's study programmes: <link nursing-and-health study-interested>www.hs-fulda.de/pflege-und-gesundheit/studieninteressierte/