Germany to help municipalities better adapt to climate change

Berlin, March 25 (IANS) Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke presented an immediate action programme to help municipalities to better adapt to the consequences of climate change.

The package of measures was designed to "quickly put initial steps and measures into practice", Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) as saying.

The programme focuses on supporting municipalities by expanding funding programs and building up expertise, providing tailored on-site advice and better training for local experts, as well as raising awareness and informing citizens, according to the BMUV.

"The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change relentlessly describes the effects of the climate crisis," Lemke said.

The need for adaptation and precautionary measures would become "more acute in the future with every tenth of a degree of global warming", she said.

"Municipalities are particularly affected by the impacts of heat, storms, heavy rain or other extreme weather events."

In July 2021, devastating floods caused immense economic damage and claimed around 190 lives in Germany.

Around 30 billion euros ($33 billion ) have been provided for the reconstruction fund.