Heavy rainfall results in floods. - Lawmakers deliberate on implementing flood defenses following heavy rainfall.
Baden-Württemberg's state parliament has been discussing flood protection and adapting to the effects of climate change following severe flooding in certain areas of the state. The Green Party's Environmental Minister, Thekla Walker, emphasized the need for increased investments in flood prevention. "Floods like these will occur more frequently and not necessarily in predictable areas," Walker warned. "We must invest drastically in flood protection and climate change adaptation because every cent we spend now will save us much more in the event of a disaster."
Numerous opposition members also agreed with this perspective. SPD parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch underlined the importance of flood protection measures, such as dams, retention basins, less paving, natural river and stream courses, and flood zones. "Damns are often outdated and seldom high enough," he noted. "We really need to improve them."
The Free Democratic Party's (FDP) Daniel Karrais underscored the necessity of not only focusing on climate protection but also on adapting to climate change's impacts. The state government should prioritize potential measures more forcefully. Regarding implementation on the ground, nature and species protection should not be an obstacle.
However, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party accused the state government of permitting excessive land paving, causing natural disasters caused by heavy rainfall. It's not climate change, but the state's actions, the AfD claimed.
Yet, Thekla Walker emphasized that we cannot neglect climate protection. "The severe weather events we're seeing now are a result of past CO2 emissions," she reasoned. "Jobbing solely on climate change adaptation while ignoring climate protection would be detrimental. It would mean that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have no control over future weather events."
Recently, heavy rainfall and flooding in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria caused unimaginable destruction. Two people lost their lives, thousands were evacuated, and damage included landslides and dam failures.
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The Southwest region, specifically Baden-Württemberg, has seen its state parliament actively discussing flood prevention and climate change adaptation due to recent flood incidents. Thekla Walker, the Green Party's Environmental Minister, urged for substantial investments in flood protection, anticipating more frequent and unpredictable floods. SPD's Andreas Stoch highlighted the need for modifications to outdated dams and prioritizing flood protection measures like natural river courses.
Daniel Karrais from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) emphasized the importance of addressing both climate protection and adaptation issues. He argued that nature protection ought not to hinder implementing flood defenses on the ground. Meanwhile, the AfD accused the state government of contributing to natural disasters by allowing excessive land paving.
Climate change was also a topic of debate, as Thekla Walker reasoned that current severe weather events stem from past CO2 emissions. Ignoring climate protection while focusing solely on adaptation could lead to future generations having no control over weather events.
In a subsequent event, heavy rainfall and flooding in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria resulted in significant destruction, resulting in fatalities, evacuations, and damages including landslides and dam failures.
