Federal Minister Verena Hubertz of the SPD defended the party’s heat action plan against criticism, insisting that climate adaptation must become a central element of construction planning. Hubertz stated in an interview with the “Rheinische Post” that heat is fundamentally a social issue.
She argued that individuals residing in unshaded top-floor apartments without private gardens are much more exposed to the strain of summer heat than others. Consequently, she stressed that climate adaptation strategies must be implemented where people actually live. According to the Federal Minister for Housing, Spatial Development, and Construction, the most livable cities are those that can retain water and provide ample shade, necessitating that climate adaptation be integrated into urban planning for the future.
Hubertz explained that good planning requires considering all these elements together: wherever new buildings are constructed, there must be allocated space for trees, shade, and water. Furthermore, she added that the government was providing local municipalities with the necessary instruments to safeguard green spaces and trees while also addressing flood risks in their planning. This presents a major undertaking that, she emphasized, the federal government does not intend to leave the municipalities facing alone.
