Heat wave threatens millions: Which cities are particularly affected?

Heat wave threatens millions: Which cities are particularly affected?

Mannheim, Deutschland - It is no secret that the temperatures rise. On June 14, 2025, a clear trend towards the heat load becomes clear in Germany. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) showed the heat load in almost 200 German cities in a comprehensive examination. Over 12 million people currently live in regions that are affected by extreme heat. It becomes particularly uncomfortable for the residents of southern German cities such as Mannheim, Ludwigshafen and Worms, where almost 90 percent of the population are in highly stressed areas. In order to be able to cope with this alarm state, political measures are required.

A look at the "Heat Feature Index", which was created for 190 cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, shows that the main causes for the heat load are high temperatures, a lot of concrete and little green. In contrast, cities such as Hattingen, Gummersbach and Witten do much better due to their numerous green areas. There are hardly any sealed areas here, which contributes to better cooling. The DUH distributes the cities into three categories: 31 are in the red area (extremely loaded), 131 in the yellow area (medium load) and 28 cities like Hamburg have received the green label (low load).

health risks of the heat

The increase in hot days and tropical nights has been unmistakable since the 1980s. The German Weather Service (DWD) has continuously pronounced heat warnings in recent years. According to the DWD, heat waves and high temperatures are a growing health risk, especially for older people and people with previous illnesses. Another reason for concern: tropical nights in which the temperatures do not decrease below 20 ° C are a significant burden on nightly recovery.

In order to counteract the health effects of the high temperatures, skillful political measures are essential. The DUH names concepts such as "sponge city" or green roofs and facades as promising approaches to reduce the heat load in urban areas. After all, trees are sufficient to reduce the temperature in their environment by up to 10 degrees Celsius, which not only benefits the environment, but also the health of the residents.

climate change as a health risk

A look beyond the borders shows that climate change is described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the greatest health threat. Extreme weather events, including heat waves, have direct and indirect effects on human health, from acute heat diseases and long -term psychological stress. People of old age, pregnant women and people with low socio-economic status are particularly at risk. the health challenges associated with the increasing heat.

The developments of the past few years clarify that we have to expect more frequent and more intensive heat waves in Germany. The heat not only has an impact on the cardiovascular system, but can also lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality in the long term. The DWD has already taken essential steps to inform the population about the heating indicator, whereby the conditions for heat warning are being revised.