Erfurt under pressure: highest heat load in Thuringia!

Erfurt under pressure: highest heat load in Thuringia!

Erfurt, Deutschland - The summer heat is also more and more difficult in our cities: as the current Thuringia24, the German environmental aid has an alarm analysis of the Heat load published by German cities. In Erfurt, the topic was taken seriously and was assessed with a yellow card for medium heat load. Compared to 190 cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, Erfurt is not only there, because the heat fluid index shows a worrying situation for the entire region of Thuringia.

With an index value of 15.89, Erfurt has the highest heat (survey index in Thuringia. If you compare the numbers, Gera can be found with a value of 14.41, Weimar at 14.39 and Jena with 14.38 also in heat statistics. These cities record an average temperature value of around 34 degrees Celsius between 2021 and 2024, which underlines the need for climate adjustment measures. The leaders in Thuringia suffer from a high area of ​​space, which is almost 45 percent in Erfurt.

green areas and heat action plans

According to the investigation, over 12 million people in German cities are affected by extreme heat load. In addition to the temperature, the heat-relevant index also takes into account the dense seal and the lack of green areas. While 31 cities have received a red card for high heat load, 131 cities, including Erfurt, receive a yellow card. Only 28 cities can look forward to a green card, which indicates a lower heat load, as the German environmental aid reports in its analysis (German environmental aid).

In order to counter this challenge, the municipalities in Thuringia have launched a climate pact, which has recently been expanded by 27 million euros for climate protection investments. Some measures are already underway: For Erfurt, a "heat telephone" is set up to offer the citizens: inside support, and the city plans to set up additional drinking fountains. Jena places a special focus on the support of older people who often live alone and are particularly at risk in the heat. Gera, on the other hand, works on a comprehensive municipal heat action plan.

The way forward

The fear of the health of the population is great, because around 3,000 people die in Germany every year from the consequences of extreme heat. In order to stop this trend, the state government and the municipalities are required. A nationwide heat action plan should be available by the end of the year in order to offer the affected cities clearer guidelines and help.

The heat is not just a temporary phenomenon, it is now a permanent problem that affects all areas of life. The approach that the Statista The heat load of the German cities shows that the need for sustainable solutions is greater than ever. Only through joint action can we relieve the consequences for our cities and their inhabitants.