How one German city plans to challenge climate extremes

In October 2023, a record-breaking storm surge hit the Baltic Sea coast in northern Germany, causing extensive damage to dikes, cliffs, and marinas in Schleswig-Holstein and southern Denmark. The surge in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, removed 2.68 meters of coastal bluff, more than four times the average loss over the past two decades.

Climate change is exacerbating extreme weather events like storms, making such impacts increasingly unavoidable for coastal cities like Kiel. The city's climate adaptation division, led by Martina Baum, has been working to make Kiel more resilient to these threats since declaring a climate emergency in 2019. Baum emphasizes that adaptation is not a replacement for reducing fossil fuel emissions but a complementary measure to protect against the changing climate.

While some adaptation measures, such as installing air-conditioning, may increase energy consumption, Kiel is exploring solutions like vegetation-covered building facades and redesigned parks to naturally cool the city. The city has also been testing which tree species can survive future conditions and is considering multi-use designs for public spaces to manage stormwater during heavy rainfall.

Public engagement is a crucial aspect of Kiel's adaptation efforts, with officials like Annafried Stürmer organizing educational events to help residents understand the trade-offs and benefits of climate adaptation measures.