German Cities Association Calls for Billions in Climate‑Adaptation Funding

Christian Schuchardt, chief executive of the German Städtetag, urged the federal government and the Länder to markedly increase financial support for municipal climate‑adaptation measures. He argued that adaptation is "no ‘nice to have’, but essential for our future" and that the required investments run into billions of euros nationwide, which cities cannot shoulder alone.

Schuchardt warned that existing federal and state programmes are insufficient for actions such as de‑sealing surfaces, expanding urban green space and creating water‑retention areas to combat heat. He called for new, reliable financing structures that ensure long‑term, planned co‑funding of climate‑protection and adaptation projects by both national and state authorities.