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Concept for the Adaptation to the Consequences of Climate Change in the Federal State Capital of Munich

The changing climatic conditions, such as rise in average temperature or increased occurrences of heat waves and heavy rain events, represent a great challenge particularly for large cities. The City Council of Munich decided in the year 2013 to elaborate a concept of interventions to address this challenge. This took place as cross-sectional task, in close consultation of various affected departments of the city administration. The Department for Health and Environment coordinated this process, with the support of IÖW and bifa Environmental Institute from Augsburg.

During this process, the stakeholders involved, developed eight overall objectives as well as 26 interventions in five thematic areas (covering the development of green and non-green spaces on a strategic and operative level, water and precipitation, land use and ecosystem as well as human health issues) for the city of Munich.

The overall objectives cover for example the promotion of a climatic balancing function on the city level, the development of open spaces with a positive climate impact as well as the improvement of the living quality particularly in public spaces. The interventions comprise among others the provision of a potential analysis for the extension of greening activities on roofs, facades and in courtyards as well as the planting of climate resilient trees. These activities help to increase the share of green infrastructure within the city. Beyond, the renaturation of streams and other water flows helps to cool the city on hot days; respectively appropriate spatial planning instruments are crucial to deal with changing climatic conditions. The same applies for interventions that reduce health stresses and strengthen the well-being of the citizens, such as information on appropriate behavior on hot days.

Integral part of the concept for the adaption to the consequences of climate change are furthermore monitoring as well as communication activities.