RKI counts nearly 10,000 heat-related deaths in 2026

Pressure is also growing at the municipal level to implement precautionary concepts. According to the association, many cities and municipalities lack the financial room to set up cool rooms, install drinking water stations, or organize neighborhood assistance for older people. Voluntary offers are not enough at temperatures above 35 degrees.

German Weather Service: No new temperature record

The German Weather Service (DWD) pointed out that this year's heatwave was meteorologically unusual but not record-breaking. "Ein neuer Temperaturrekord wird nach DWD-Angaben aber nicht erwartet", a spokesperson said. Nevertheless, the combination of several consecutive hot days, tropical nights, and high humidity increased the strain on the human body.

Schuchardt, the Federal Government's spokesperson for climate policy, advocated for permanent co-financing of preventive measures by the federal and state governments. The implementation of heat prevention concepts such as unsealing, urban greenery, or water absorption must be co-financed "dauerhaft und planbar" by the federal and state governments, she said. Without long-term funding, investments in urban climate, building greening, and seepage areas would not be possible on the necessary scale.

Appeal for permanent co-financing

Health experts see a clear mandate for action in the data. In addition to structural measures, public awareness of risks such as dehydration, circulatory collapse, and heatstroke must be strengthened. General practitioners, pharmacies, and care services play a central role in this, the RKI stated.

International comparative data show that countries with established heat action plans record lower death rates during heatwaves. France and Spain had expanded their national warning systems and introduced mandatory protective measures for care homes after similar hot summers. The RKI recommends rapidly building comparable structures in Germany.

International models and outlook

Authorities expect further hot days in the coming weeks. The DWD called on people to heed advice on drinking amounts, physical rest, and staying in cool rooms. Municipalities announced that they would step up their warning and information chains via local media and social networks.

The debate over the financing of climate adaptation is thus likely to remain on the political agenda in the coming months. The federal government, states, and municipalities must agree on binding standards, according to the social association. Only in this way can it be prevented that every further hot summer leads to a similarly high number of avoidable deaths.

The RKI announced that it would further refine the evaluation in the coming weeks and present regional differences in greater detail. Initial analyses indicated that densely built urban areas were particularly affected, while rural regions with better ventilation showed lower heat-related death rates. These findings are to feed into deliberations on targeted investments.