Jochen Flasbarth, the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, welcomed the conference initiated by Transport Minister Steffen Bilger this Thursday, announcing that investments will be made in nature restoration efforts, citing the historically low water levels in German rivers.
Flasbarth told the “Rheinische Post” that the current low water phenomenon serves as a necessary wake-up call. He praised Minister Bilger for taking the initiative and calling for a ministerial summit. In his view, adapting to the consequences of climate change requires a systematic approach. He cited the Low Water Rhine action plan and the existing “Climate and Water” service (which is running under the framework of Germany’s Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change, or DAS) as positive examples of this work.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that water remains held within the landscape rather than simply allowing it to runoff. The programs being implemented directly target this issue through the renaturation and restoration of floodplains, meadows, moors, and forests. While these are clearly long-term measures, Flasbarth emphasized that it is crucial to focus specifically on strengthening the natural infrastructure now, in addition to any purely technical solutions.
