Hitze-Hölle Hamburg: Sealing drives temperatures up!

Hitze-Hölle Hamburg: Sealing drives temperatures up!

Altona-Nord, Deutschland - in Hamburg, the summer heat is becoming increasingly oppressive, and the city is increasingly turning into a kind of sauna. This is primarily the result of a high sealing rate that has now reached the highest values ​​among German cities. An analysis by Correctiv shows that around 14 square kilometers have been sealed in recent years, which corresponds to the area of ​​the St. Pauli district about five times. This sealing concerns heavily used areas such as concrete, asphalt and paving stones, which are not only unsightly, but also have significant negative effects on the flora and fauna as well as the health of people, such as T-Online reported.

The heat check

The German Environmental Aid (DUH) recently carried out a heat check for 190 cities, including Hamburg. The analysis shows a dramatic increase in sealed areas in German cities. While cities such as Ludwigshafen and Heilbronn are very sealed and offer few green spaces, there are also gratifying examples such as Detmold and Potsdam, which have little seal and provide a lot of green volume. Hamburg faces the challenge that 24 cities in the heat check have received a red card, which indicates more than 50 percent sealed areas. In Hamburg, a legally binding goal is urgently needed to stop the area sealing by 2035, according to the DUH. The daily seal of sealing in Germany is over 50 hectares, which is enormous and brings with it the loss of large trees and green areas that are so important for the cooling effect in cities.

Frank Winkler from the GKV alliance for Health Baden-Württemberg emphasizes how urgently recreational locations are needed in urban areas. The inconsistent data collection by the federal states proves to be a great obstacle to effectively implement necessary measures. Innovative solutions are required to master these challenges and improve the city climate.

The protection of the city trees

Another important aspect are the city trees that blend under the extreme conditions. According to the final report of a research project at the University of Hamburg, there is an urgent need to protect older and vitalized street trees from the age of 40. These trees have proven themselves over the years and can better deal with climate consequences, pests and persistent environmental pollution. Unfortunately, the living conditions of most street trees are severely impaired by compacted soil and sealed areas, which means that they lose vitality. Sustainable urban planning, which aims at the preservation of these valuable trees, could make a decisive contribution to reducing the negative effects of the heat, such as National Geographic explained.

The future of Hamburg depends heavily on how we deal with the susceptibility of our city by sealing and heat. Innovative approaches to greening and creating more recreation rooms are essential to meet the challenges of climate change.