Central European groups demand urgent heat protection measures

Political and environmental groups are calling for urgent action following a rise in heat-related fatalities across Central Europe. In Germany, the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen party is advocating for a national heat summit. Thuringia state spokesperson Luis Schäfer has expressed support for a proposal by Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider to amend the Basic Law, making heat protection a shared responsibility between federal, state, and local governments. Schäfer emphasized the need for federal financial support to help municipalities upgrade schools, nursing homes, and public spaces to be heat-resilient.

In Austria, Greenpeace organized a memorial at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna to honor those lost to extreme temperatures. The protest featured 395 empty chairs with grave lights, representing the number of people who died during a heatwave in June. Greenpeace is demanding an immediate climate package from the government to protect the population from extreme weather, drought, and water shortages, criticizing current political responses as insufficient.