Hamburg's heat issue: assessing its preparedness level
Spice Up Your Summer, But Watch Where You Tread 🚀
Summer temperatures across Germany are getting unbearable in some areas, notably southwestern regions. However, in areas like Hamburg and cities in Schleswig-Holstein, summer remains just another season on the menu.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has taken notice of the sealing of inner cities in Germany and is demanding legal minimum standards for green spaces, as approximately 12 million people in German cities suffer from extreme heat at home. With global climate change intensifying, summertime in many places is becoming unbearably hot.
Cities in northern Germany fare relatively better in the heat. This is partly due to lower average summer temperatures compared to their southwestern counterparts and other factors assessed by DUH's heat check. Of the 190 cities examined, 31 received a red card, 131 a yellow card, and 28 a green card.
Hamburg: Green to the Core, Cool as a Cucumber
Cities like Hildesheim in Lower Saxony received a red card due to an average summer temperature of 36°C, 47.6% surface sealing, and virtually no greenery. On the other hand, Hamburg can cheer with a green card, as only 41.6% of the city's area is sealed off, and 3.8% is covered with plants. Despite having greenery, Hamburg's surface temperature is significantly lower at 31.5°C compared to Hildesheim and even Mannheim (38.4°C). Mannheim, located in Baden-Württemberg, performs poorly across all aspects of the heat check. Green cards were also awarded to Oldenburg, Nordhorn, Wilhelmshaven, and Lingen in Lower Saxony, as well as Kiel, Flensburg, and Norderstedt in Schleswig-Holstein.
Green and Yellow Galore Up North
Most cities in the north receive yellow cards. Hannover stands out, with a sealing share of 46% and a green volume share of 3.6%. The 640-hectare Eilenriede, the largest urban forest in Europe, puts Hannover high on the list. Cities such as Bremen, Bremerhaven, Braunschweig, Göttingen, Wolfsburg, Lüneburg, and Osnabrück also fall into the middle.
Greifswald, Schwerin, Rostock, and Stralsund from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania received yellow cards as well. The natural climate variations across Germany result in diverse temperature patterns during the summer months. Regions closer to the sea experience cooler summers, while inland areas tend to be warmer. Additionally, cities with higher urbanization rates and limited green spaces might experience heat islands, resulting in even higher temperatures.
- The environmental awareness in Germany extends to various aspects, including promoting health-and-wellness through the preservation of green spaces in cities for cooling effects during the hot summer season, as demonstrated by the green card awarded to Hamburg.
- In the realm of science, the global phenomenon of climate change is evident in the increasing summer temperatures across many regions, as indicated by the higher temperatures in Mannheim compared to Hamburg. This underscores the importance of environmental-science research in addressing climate-change challenges.
- Fitness-and-exercise enthusiasts may find solace in the numerous green spaces found in cities like Hannover, which, despite receiving a yellow card, has the largest urban forest in Europe, the Eilenriede, promising ample opportunities for outdoor activities during the summer months.
