Nature conservation instead of climate protection: the green roots of the right
stern.de, 21st June 2024 (in German)
News publ. 05. Aug 2014
Within the framework of the Vulnerability Network, adelphi is analysing Germany’s vulnerability to climate change, together with its academic partners and a broad-based network of public authorities. Initial outcomes are now being reported by federal and state ministries.
Adaptation to the impacts of climate change is playing an ever increasing role in climate policy. For this reason, the Vulnerability Network - an association of 16 federal agencies and an academic consortium under the leadership of adelphi - have set the goal of identifying issues and regions of Germany which are particularly vulnerable to climate change, thus providing a solid base for the further development of German adaptation policy.
In early July, the Network reported to representatives from the Permanent Committee on Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change (AFK) and the Inter-ministerial Working Group on Adaptation to Climate Change (IMA) on the progress made on the project. adelphi and partners have outlined the terms of debate in both the methodological approach and the qualitative and quantitative operationalisation of the impacts of climate change.
So far, the Network has established 84 indicators for the period 2021-2050, representing the impacts of climate change in various sectors such as construction, agriculture and water. This high spatial resolution makes it possible in many cases to depict the impacts of climate change at the rural level.
The procedures and methodologies of both the consortium and the Network have overall been well received. This was explicitly confirmed by a subsequent meeting of the IMA. This is strengthening the work done by Vulnerability Network.
Representatives from state and federal government in Germany are also in support of scheduling for the project, which anticipates completion of the vulnerability assessment in December 2014. Outcomes will be then used in the progress report on the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, which will be submitted by the federal government towards the middle of the legislative period.