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Heat check: Rüsselsheim and Frankfurt suffer the worst!
Bad Homburg vor der Höhe is classified as averagely affected in the new heat check by German Environmental Aid.
Heat check: Rüsselsheim and Frankfurt suffer the worst!
Temperatures are rising to over 30 degrees and this is noticeable in the cities. People who live in cities without sufficient green spaces particularly feel the heat. German Environmental Aid (DUH) has now published its second “heat check” for German cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. This is based on a refined methodology that takes surface sealing, the density of green areas and surface temperatures into account. From now on, a heat impact index (HBI) will also be used to assess heat stress. As hessenschau.de reports, this index shows that Rüsselsheim, Frankfurt and Offenbach are among the most affected cities.
Studies in 190 cities have shown that over 12 million people in urban areas are exposed to extreme heat stress. According to the DUH, 31 cities received a “Red Card”, 131 cities were classified “Yellow”, while only 28 were able to get away with a “Green Card”. However, there is a bit of hope in Marburg, which is the only city in Hesse to have received a “Green Card”.
The worst cities in the heat check
The analysis not only identifies the cities with the greatest heat concerns, but also highlights the worst cases in Germany. A table of the most affected cities shows:
| City | Heat category |
|---|---|
| Rüsselsheim | Red |
| Frankfurt | Red |
| Offenbach | Red |
| Hanau | Red |
| Darmstadt | Red |
| Wiesbaden | Red |
| kassel | Yellow |
| Bad Homburg | Yellow |
| Fulda | Yellow |
| Wetzlar | Yellow |
| Marburg | Green |
The highest measured surface temperature of 37.26 degrees Celsius was found in Hanau, followed by Rüsselsheim and Gießen. What is particularly worrying is that around 3,000 people in Germany die every year as a result of extreme heat. The DUH therefore demands that cities and municipalities adhere to binding minimum proportions of green spaces in urban planning.
The future of urban planning
Barbara Metz, the managing director of the DUH, makes it clear: “We urgently need to integrate more green spaces into urban planning.” Climate change is inevitably leading to more frequent and hotter heat periods, and the current urban structure is a major contributor to this. Sealed surfaces absorb solar radiation and can further increase temperatures - a phenomenon known as the heat island effect. Several studies, such as a study by the Federal Office for the Environment published in 2018, provide information on how this effect can be curbed. Measures such as climate-adapted design of outdoor space and the planning of open spaces with green spaces and shade are essential.
With a heat wave that predicts maximum temperatures of up to 35 degrees in the Rhine-Main area for the coming weekend, it is important that risk groups in particular, such as the elderly, sick people and children, avoid extreme temperatures. Tips for avoiding heat - such as ventilating rooms in the morning and closing blinds during the day - are available to everyone.
(Sources: [hessenschau.de](https://www.hessenschau.de/panorama/wärme-check-der-deutschen-umwelthilfe-in-diesen-staedten-ist-es-am-schlimmsten-v1, Hitzecheck-100.html), duh.de, bafu.admin.ch)