[Health protection against heat extremes in Germany: What has been done in federal states and municipalities?].

BACKGROUND

Heat extremes are one of the most perceptible health risks of climate change. In the field of prevention, Germany relies on recommendations for heat health action plans and on programs to support such measures.

OBJECTIVES

To give an overview of measures and projects for the prevention of heat-related mortality and morbidity that have been established in Germany.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Activities and projects covering heat and human health since 2003 were identified by database and Internet search. Projects just indirectly related to human health were excluded. We recorded federal states and funding agencies, and which of the eight core elements of the Federal Ministry for the Environment recommendations for action are addressed by the measure.

RESULTS

Of the 190 projects, 19 can be assigned the keyword "heat health action plan", although these are very heterogeneous activities. The individual measures partly covered several criteria of the recommendations for action: 70.0% concern urban planning and construction, 37.4% information and communication, 24.2% vulnerable groups, 17.9% reducing indoor heat, 15.3% the use of a heat warning system, 13.7% each for central coordination, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the preparation of health and social systems, and 5.3% refer to monitoring and evaluation of measures.

DISCUSSION

The number of measures and projects in Germany is considerable. However, it remains unclear whether these actions meet the criteria for effective medium- and short-term protection.