Overview

• On July 1, the Berlin Senate declined to initiate the Volksentscheid Baum petition, citing at least €7.2 billion in expected implementation costs from 2025 to 2040.
• The citizen-led campaign now faces a four-month deadline to gather signatures from 170,000 voters—equivalent to seven percent of those eligible for the Abgeordnetenhaus election.
• Success in the signature drive would lead to a referendum on the greening measures, likely scheduled alongside the 2026 state election.
• The initiative seeks to boost urban resilience through measures such as planting 300,000 street trees, expanding cooling green spaces and mandating green roofs and facades on buildings.
• In parallel, the Senate is preparing a 2025 heat action plan and a climate risk assessment to underpin a comprehensive adaptation strategy by late 2026.