Klaus Mack, the Deputy Parliamentary Group Chairman for the CDU, recently highlighted the critical importance of both climate protection and adaptation, noting the severe weather conditions observed this summer. Addressing the press, Mack declared that the current heatwaves and the weeks or months of drought occurring in many areas are alarming and demand immediate attention. He stressed that climate change is causing these extreme weather events to happen with greater frequency and intensity, which in turn necessitates continuous and stringent reductions in emissions. According to Mack, the market-based approach, specifically through the carbon dioxide price, remains the correct strategy for achieving this.
However, he emphasized that advancing climate adaptation must be pursued with equal determination. While many steps are already underway, he warned that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Mack clarified that climate adaptation must be specifically tailored to the concrete needs of each local community. To achieve this, he argued, the government must empower municipalities to execute necessary measures and secure long-term investment in resilience.
Mack cited the Natural Climate Protection Action Program as a framework that helps establish the necessary financing for these efforts. From his perspective, the most effective solutions are integrated and long-term in nature-such as developing urban green spaces, which simultaneously make cities more livable and resistant to heat, or reforesting existing woods with mixed species. He noted that these types of initiatives contribute to both climate protection and climate adaptation.
Furthermore, Mack, who is responsible for environmental and climate issues within his parliamentary group, underlined the vital role of renewable energy development. He stated that aggressively expanding renewable sources makes the power grid environmentally friendly and significantly reduces water consumption, since fewer power plants require cooling.
