Overview
- Several SPD-led ministries published a joint action plan calling for a national heat action plan, stronger worker protections from extreme temperatures, and a change to the Basic Law to make heat protection a joint federal–state task.
- The constitutional change is meant to remove legal and fiscal barriers that currently limit federal funding for municipal climate adaptation and to let the federal government directly support local heat measures.
- Green leaders accused the SPD of hypocrisy, citing an 86% cut to the 'Klimaanpassung in sozialen Einrichtungen' program in the 2027 budget and the coalition's rejection of a Green proposal to free €5 billion from a special fund for extreme-weather protection.
- The CDU has rejected a Basic Law amendment for heat protection, and a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag is required for any constitutional change, making passage unlikely without opposition support.
- If advanced, the plan could speed federal help for towns facing heat risks and improve rules for workers exposed to heat, but its near-term impact will depend on whether the SPD can secure funding commitments and cross-party backing.