Environment ministry presents latest urban climate analysis

Contains data on temperature, cold air formation and movement - shows location of hotspots on hot days

The Ministry for the Environment has published updated climate maps with data on temperature, cold air formation and movement, a press release said Monday (February 26, 2024). The "Urban Climate Analysis" provides up-to-date information on climate-adapted urban development, including where it gets particularly hot in summer and how this effects people and the environment. Eight maps provide an overview of basic data such as air temperature, wind field and cold air flow as well as green and open spaces, which play a role in the local climate.

Basis for climate adaption measures

"The consequences of climate change are omnipresent. We need to know exactly where the hotspots on extreme heat days are in our city and where we have cold air generation areas or shady spaces to take effective climate adaption measures," said Michael Pollmann, State Councillor in the Ministry for the Environment. " The updated urban climate analysis forms a basis for making Hamburg as resilient as possible and was recalculated for the entire city as around 10,000 new apartments have been built every year since the last study in 2017.

Hamburg taking more and more precautions

The senate is currently working on a climate adaption strategy to preserve, enhance or create important cold air generation areas, shaded spaces, connected green structures and undeveloped spaces for air movement. The city has other analytical tools such as a heavy rain risk map and a climate information system as well. The Hamburg Water Atlas provides geodata and data about water bodies. Climate adaption measures such as coastal flooding and storm surge protection have also been put in place.
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