Umweltbundesamt
It is, for example, highly probable that heat waves like those that occurred in the summer of 2003 will increasingly become the norm in the future. This can have diverse and profound impacts on the various sectors of agriculture, forestry, health or industry. Furthermore, climate change has an impact on the availability of water resources. Water shortages affect the water and energy industry (due to a lack of cooling water) and agriculture. In order to develop effective adaptation strategies and measures, climate impacts have to be taken into account in a balanced and comprehensive manner. In particular, the climate impacts that were examined in the 2021 climate impact and risk assessment are presented.
In case you are particularly interested in possible adaptation measures for a specific sector, you can access these in the menu regional and sectoral adaptation.
Climate change has a decisive influence on the use to which spaces will be put in the future. It can influence the use of space directly, as in the case of a floodplain, or indirectly, as through changes in water availability. Climate change also brings with it additional demands on space and land use. read more
Climate change and thus changes in temperature and precipitation patterns as well as the frequency of extreme events influence the seasonal development, behaviour, reproduction, competitiveness and food relationships of species in the long term. Biodiversity is also threatened by climate change. read more
As an economic sector and growth industry, tourism is dependent on the weather on both the supply and demand side, as a large number of tourism activities take place outdoors. Accordingly, tourism is also influenced by climatic changes. These affect tourism offers and regions in very different ways. read more
In general, climate change is expected to have significant negative impacts for all types of fisheries. For marine fisheries, increasing warming and acidification of the oceans are particularly relevant. For inland water fisheries and fish farming in aquacultures, higher water temperatures and increasing drought are relevant. read more
Increased temperatures, heat waves, late frosts, drought, heavy rain, hail and storms have a direct impact on agricultural production. Due to this high dependence on weather and climate, it is particularly important for agriculture as well as fruit cultivation, viticulture and horticulture to be aware of the impacts of climate change and to prepare for them in time. read more
Climate change poses major challenges for forests: Extreme events such as heat and drought periods and storms are severely affecting the forest. Pest infestations and forest fires can cause damage over large areas. In many places, the natural adaptive capacity of forests has already been exceeded and is increasingly endangering the climate and forestry yields. read more
Soils fulfil a variety of functions. They are the basis for the production of healthy food, provide settlement and living space for humans and animals, and are crucial for the water balance and protection of groundwater. Soils are the world's largest terrestrial store of organic carbon and thus also of central importance for climate protection. read more
Humans react sensitively to extreme weather events. Heat is a direct burden on human health and can lead to severe diseases of the cardiovascular system and, in extreme cases, to death. In addition, climate change favours allergies and pathogens or their vectors. Sunny years increase the risk of UV-related health damage. read more
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
