On June 14th 2021, the results of the climate impact and risk analysis (in German: Klimawirkungs- und Risikoanalyse, KWRA) for Germany was presented by the federal ministry of environment and the Federal Environmental Agency.
In the KWRA, over 100 effects of climate change and their interdependencies were investigated. With regards to about 30 effects, there is an urgent need for action: among others, deadly heat burdens (in particular in cities), ground water shortage and frequent low water levels (with grave consequences for all ecosystems, agriculture and forestry as well as transport of goods). Economic damages towards buildings through heavy rain falls and torrents and floods were investigated as well as the species change caused through rising temperatures, including the spread of diseases and parasites. The KWRA shows the risks of different climate scenarios during the middle and the end of this century. For the first time, it was analyzed how the risks in the individual sectors are interconnected and mutually influence each other.
The results of this study represent an essential foundation for the development of the German strategy for adaptation to climate change (in German: Deutsche Strategie zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel, DAS).
