The parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia discusses flood prevention measures within the state.

Climatological conditions - The parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia discusses flood prevention measures within the state.

South Germany's devastating floods, resulting in numerous deaths and expenses in the billions, have sparked a renewed debate on sufficient flood protection in North Rhine-Westphalia. A discussion on the necessary measures will take place in a current affairs program on Wednesday at 10 am, prompted by the opposition FDP faction in the state parliament.

The FDP claims that the state government requested less federal funds for flood protection after the disaster in NRW in 2021 than the country was entitled to. The recent images of broken dams, flooded streets, and evacuated settlements in flood-prone areas in South Germany, Saarland, and Rhineland-Palatinate serve as a grim reminder that flood protection needs to be prioritized, according to the FDP's proposal.

Incessant rainfall between Christmas and New Year's Eve caused the rivers in NRW to rise drastically. The water also placed pressure on the dikes in various locations.

The flood risk map identified 438 rivers in North Rhine-Westphalia with a total length of 6,000 kilometers as particularly prone to flooding during spring. There are dikes spanning 530 kilometers in NRW. Based on previous statements by Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens), action is necessary for at least half of these dikes.

The effects of climate change are evident in all environmental, economic, and personal aspects of NRW, asserted the president of the State Office for Nature and Environment, Elke Reichert, last February. In the future, extreme weather events like heavy rain and floods will occur more frequently, particularly on small and medium-sized rivers.

Agenda Plenum Wednesday

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1. The opposition FDP in the North Rhine-Westphalia parliament is pushing for a discussion on flood prevention measures, citing the billions spent on repairs after the floods in Southern Germany.
2. In view of the recent floods in South Germany and other regions like Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, the FDP advocates for increased investment in flood protection measures in North Rhine-Westphalia.
3. The FDP alleges that the North Rhine-Westphalia state government sought less federal funding for flood protection after the disaster in 2021 than they were entitled to.
4. On Wednesday, at 10 am, a current affairs program will delve into flood prevention measures in North Rhine-Westphalia, following the initiate of the FDP in the state parliament.
5. Amid the debate, Environment Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) has identified the need for action on at least half of the 530 kilometers of dikes in North Rhine-Westphalia, as per the flood risk map.
6. After the devastating floods in North Rhine-Westphalia last year, Elke Reichert, the president of the State Office for Nature and Environment, warned that extreme weather events like heavy rain and floods will become more frequent due to climate change.

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