Germany’s Vulnerability to Climate Change

The German Adaptation Strategy is aiming to minimise the key sectors’ vulnerability to the effects of climate change and to maintain or strengthen the ability of natural, economic and social systems to adapt to climate change. On behalf of the Interministerial Working Group on Adaptation to Climate Change, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) thus took on the task of building a network of higher federal authorities and institutions which can, together with a scientific consortium, produce a cross-sectoral vulnerability assessment for Germany. A methodology was developed for this which can be deployed in all fields of action in the German Adaptation Strategy and which can make statements on the climate impacts in Germany which are geographically and temporally differentiated and can be compared across different fields of action. The present report sets out this overall picture of Germany’s vulnerability to climate change, naming both single-, cross-sector and geographical key points as regards climate impacts in Germany. Furthermore, the methodology used will also be comprehensively documented. 

The findings of the study will contribute to a progress report on the German Adaptation Strategy. Therefore, it will be primarily addressed to the Interministerial Working Group on Adaptation to Climate Change. Additionally, German Federal Ministries and their specialist offices, scientific institutions as well as the expert audience will find the findings and methodology useful.

An English summary is available here.