Germany – Meteorologist Jörg Kachelmann has sharply criticized Germany’s heat protection measures in light of the extraordinary temperatures. He considers the lack of air conditioning in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes to be a particularly serious shortcoming. His criticism is reinforced by recent health data; the Robert Koch Institute estimates there were around 12,500 heat-related deaths between April 6 and August 2. Elderly people are at particular risk, as high temperatures can exacerbate existing medical conditions. At the same time, Kachelmann criticizes common recommendations regarding ventilation, the handling of drought and forest fires, and water consumption.
Heat Protection: Billions for the Climate, but Insufficient Protection Against Heat
Kachelmann’s harshest criticism concerns the lack of technical adaptation to rising temperatures. While Germany has been discussing climate change for years, it leaves even highly vulnerable facilities without adequate cooling. “You are simply a crazy country,” the meteorologist remarks. His blunt language highlights a contradiction: on the one hand, higher temperatures have long been recognized as a foreseeable consequence of climate change; on the other, air conditioning is frequently missing precisely where the elderly, the sick, and those in need of care are most at risk.
Image: YouTube / Ronzheimer.
Yet, Germany does not fundamentally lack the financial resources for climate policy. The Climate and Transformation Fund alone earmarks approximately €37.4 billion in program spending for 2026. In addition, the fund is set to receive a total of €100 billion from the new special fund. These monies finance, among other things, building renovations, electric mobility, hydrogen initiatives, and other measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the public cannot naturally perceive any immediate impact of such massive investments during the summer weather; national emissions reductions cannot prevent individual heatwaves in the short term. This makes Kachelmann’s argument for investing significantly more in adaptation in parallel seem all the more compelling. Even a fraction of the funds mobilized for the long term could have enabled extensive air conditioning and other cooling measures in public buildings.
For Kachelmann, air conditioning is not a luxury
In doing so, Kachelmann shifts the debate from long-term climate goals to immediate health protection. Instead of discussing only how to limit further warming, he argues that Germany must simultaneously address the consequences that are already occurring. The figures released by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) lend particular urgency to this priority. The institute estimates there were around 12,500 heat-related deaths by early August. The RKI calculates this figure statistically based on temperature and mortality data, as heat is rarely listed as the direct cause of death on death certificates.
Patient advocates are also now calling for significantly higher investment. Following the extreme heat in late June, demands were already being made for a €30 billion investment program for heat protection in hospitals and care facilities. This gives Kachelmann’s call for air conditioning a fiscal dimension. Germany has mobilized billions to curb climate change in the long run; yet, a comparable level of commitment regarding preparations for its already palpable consequences is nowhere to be seen in many places. Heat protection would thus not be an alternative to climate protection, but rather its hitherto neglected second side.
Wildfires: Heat facilitates spread, while humans often provide the spark
Kachelmann advocates for a more precise distinction between the cause of wildfires and the conditions that allow them to spread. Heat does not ignite a forest on its own; however, drought, high temperatures, and wind can significantly accelerate a fire once it has started. Human behavior is frequently responsible for the initial ignition. The events of this summer provide concrete examples: by August 14, France’s Interior Ministry reported 474 arrests on suspicion of starting fires—whether intentionally or through negligence. According to earlier ministry figures, around 70 percent of those arrested were suspected of arson.
Spain has recorded similar cases. In late July, the Civil Guard arrested two men held responsible for the outbreak of the Almorox fire. Investigators found evidence of welding work being carried out in a forest area, even though such activities were banned due to the extreme risk of fire. The fire subsequently spread to the Madrid region, escalating into a major blaze. In another incident near Lozoyuela, a man was arrested in July on suspicion of starting a forest fire. Kachelmann’s core argument thus addresses a crucial point: while climate change can create conditions that make fires more devastating, the question of who actually ignites the fire is a separate matter.
Drought is not synonymous with heat
Kachelmann draws a similarly clear distinction regarding low water levels, separating the cause from the factors that exacerbate the situation. A dried-up riverbed forms primarily because of a prolonged lack of precipitation. Although high temperatures increase evaporation, they do not constitute the meteorological cause of a drought. Consequently, he criticizes media reports that portray dried-up rivers simply as a visible manifestation of a heatwave. This distinction is vital for a proper understanding of the situation.
Underlying his pointed statements is a consistent premise: Germany is focusing immense political and financial resources on long-term climate change. In Kachelmann’s view, however, the country has prepared surprisingly poorly for the consequences that have already materialized.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: Welt (14.08.26) – Reuters (14.08.26) – Robert Koch Institut (13.08.26) – El Pais (30.07.26)