Germany faces record heat and climate-policy inertia amid mounting public concern

Record temperatures across western Europe have led to 12,500 heat-related deaths in Germany, widespread forest fires and severe drought impacting agriculture, while hospitals and nursing homes struggle without air conditioning. Despite the crisis, the federal government has not organized a heat summit and focuses on minor regulatory tweaks such as easing the Sunday truck-traffic ban. Activist groups, now led by Fridays for Future, denounce these measures as superficial and point to a rise in online hate toward climate advocates.

A Bertelsmann Foundation survey indicates that 80% of Germans are concerned about climate change, yet mass demonstrations have faded compared with the 2019 peak. Within the coalition, the SPD seeks to amend the constitution to share heat-protection duties, whereas the CDU/CSU raises legal concerns, reflecting broader political friction over energy policy and the nation’s 2045 climate-neutrality target.