Commentary: Including climate adaptation in the Basic Law - the right signal at the wrong time
Without the real willingness to invest more money, the demand only diverts attention away from the really important question: Exactly what does the government want to do about global warming?
A rare moment of reflection occurred as Angela Merkel, former Environment Minister and ex-Chancellor of Germany, spoke at the 40th anniversary ceremony of the Environment Ministry in early June. She noted that decisions were often driven by hope rather than the precautionary principle. While climate change remains a survival issue for humanity, she emphasized its growing urgency.
Extreme heatwaves, such as those experienced in 2026, are becoming increasingly common across Europe, exacerbated by human-induced global warming. The ramifications for society and the economy are severe, with heat-related fatalities reaching into the thousands. The Robert Koch Institute estimates that by the end of July, there were already 12,500 deaths in Germany attributed to heat.
River levels, including the Rhine and other crucial waterways, are at record lows, which could lead to significant economic losses. Farmers predict total crop failure, and the NINA weather warning app issued a red alert due to a massive forest fire in Belgium, warning residents of nearby cities, such as Wuppertal, of dangerous gas emissions.
Authorities advised people to close windows and doors, and turn off their air conditioning systems to minimize exposure to the toxic fumes.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
