Bernburg. Extreme weather events are on the rise across Germany. In recent weeks, there have been spells of extreme heat and severe storms accompanied by heavy rain and hail. This has had negative consequences for people, as well as for water bodies, agricultural yields and vegetation. The climate adaptation manager for the Salzlandkreis recently provided an update on the current situation in the region and the progress being made in drawing up the district’s own climate adaptation plan.
A kick-off event providing information on the current situation, followed by a workshop on the topic of ‘Developing a climate-resilient landscape water cycle’, brought stakeholders together to discuss sustainable solutions and specific measures for the local region. The findings are to be incorporated into the ongoing process with a view to adapting to climatic extremes such as heat and water scarcity, as well as heavy rainfall and flooding.
In addition to the district administration’s own specialist departments, the invitation was accepted by designated representatives from the municipalities within the district, the water authority, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Bernburg, the Börde-Bode-Auen LEADER region, and the environmental organisations NABU and BUND.
The initiative is being closely monitored and supported at regional level, as the Salzlandkreis is currently the only district in Saxony-Anhalt to have begun drawing up a climate adaptation plan. By mid-2031, all districts – as well as the independent towns – in the state will be legally obliged to do so and will receive financial compensation.
Steffi Mitschke, Head of the Climate Change and Climate Protection Unit at the State Ministry for the Environment, had travelled to Bernburg for the event to give a keynote speech on the Climate Adaptation Act.
The district’s climate adaptation manager has already carried out important work during her first few months in the role. She has compiled data on regional climate change and assessed its impact on the region. This has led to the formulation of initial objectives, which will be further developed in the coming months in collaboration with stakeholders from various sectors. During the event, participants were given a comprehensive insight into these issues, received encouragement and were invited to play an active role in climate adaptation.
The workshop focused on concrete solutions to issues relating to agriculture and biodiversity, urban green spaces and human health, and, of course, the water cycle and water management. The aim is to develop a climate-resilient landscape water cycle. This is because drought is putting pressure on water bodies, woodlands and animal species throughout the district, whilst agricultural yields are declining. At the same time, there is a risk of flooding and heavy rainfall events in various locations.
The situation could be remedied by creating new retention areas and restoring floodplains, for example along the River Bode. Retaining water within the landscape rather than diverting it – including through the development of blue-green infrastructure, a holistic planning approach that promotes climate resilience and biodiversity in built-up areas. This includes the on-site use and infiltration of rainwater for watering green spaces and the expansion of urban green spaces. In this way, water resources can be conserved and a cooling effect achieved during hot weather. To address the challenges facing land management, the potential of agroforestry systems should be examined more closely. Agroforestry systems are multifunctional, combining agricultural use with the cultivation of trees and shrubs on a single plot of land.
Luisa Böning, the climate adaptation manager, has announced that there will be two further workshops in the coming months focusing specifically on agriculture and heat.
The climate adaptation plan currently being drawn up by the Salzlandkreis is part of the ‘Salzlandkreis 2030’ future strategy and complements the climate protection plan already in place, which is intended to facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the region. “In the long term, it makes more sense for us to actively adapt to climate change and the prevailing conditions than to deal with the consequences later,” says District Administrator Markus Bauer with conviction. The Salzlandkreis should continue to be an attractive place to live, do business and conduct research between Halle and Magdeburg. “We not only want to develop into a climate-neutral region, but also offer the people here the best possible protection against the extreme weather events that are still to be expected.”