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Germany's Jochen Flasbarth Calls for National Heat Action Plan
Environment State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth (SPD) said a national heat‑action plan is needed for the next summer, noting that the federal government works closely with the states, many of which already have their own plans. He criticised the Federal Court of Auditors for its harsh judgement of the ministry’s “climate‑adaptation in social facilities” programme and said a constitutional amendment should be pursued to neutralise that criticism. The Robert Koch Institute estimates that almost 10 000 heat‑related deaths have occurred in Germany by mid‑July 2026 – the highest annual total since 2016.
Green Party politicians Ricarda Lang and Katharina Schulze also demanded stronger heat protection, especially for the elderly, pregnant women, children and care‑dependent people. They called for measures such as air‑conditioning in hospitals and care homes, cooling vests, mobile shading and increased drinking‑water provisions, arguing that protection should not depend on income or location.
A recent report shows that more than half of the German population now lives in municipalities that have completed a local heat‑planning process, indicating growing attention to climate adaptation at both national and municipal levels.
Entities
Bundesrechnungshof · Federal Court of Auditors (Bundesrechnungshof) · Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety · Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BM · German Federal Court of Auditors · German Federal Government · Jochen Flasbarth · Katharina Schulze · Ricarda Lang · Robert Koch Institute · Robert Koch Institute (RKI) · Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 6 SOURCES] Germany needs a national heat‑action plan for the next summer. www.rtl.de · www.zeit.de · www.n-tv.de · www.finanzen.at · www.zdfheute.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The federal government works closely with the states, many of which already have heat‑action plans. www.rtl.de · www.zeit.de · www.n-tv.de · www.finanzen.at · www.zdfheute.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Greens politicians Ricarda Lang and Katharina Schulze demand better heat protection for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, children and care‑dependent people. radioosnabrueck.de · www.t-online.de · wochentlich.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de
- [● 6 SOURCES] Flasbarth wants a constitutional amendment to neutralise the Court’s criticism. www.rtl.de · www.zeit.de · www.n-tv.de · www.finanzen.at · www.zdfheute.de · +1 more
- [DISPUTED] The Robert Koch Institute estimates almost 10 000 heat‑related deaths in Germany by mid‑July 2026, the highest annual total since 2016. www.rtl.de · www.zeit.de · www.n-tv.de · www.finanzen.at · www.zdfheute.de · +3 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Federal Court of Auditors criticised the ministry’s “climate‑adaptation in social facilities” programme for exceeding its competence. www.rtl.de · www.zeit.de · www.n-tv.de · www.finanzen.at · www.zdfheute.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] They call for equipment such as air‑conditioning in hospitals and care homes, cooling vests, mobile shading and increased drinking‑water provisions. radioosnabrueck.de · www.t-online.de · wochentlich.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.berliner-sonntagsblatt.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] More than half of Germany’s population lives in municipalities that have completed a local heat‑planning process as of 30 June 2026. bingk.de