Germany Rules Out More Federal Funding for Heat Protection

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany’s federal government would not provide additional money specifically for heat protection, arguing that existing programmes and funds were sufficient. He said the states, which hold primary responsibility, had €100 billion from the special infrastructure and climate fund to invest at their discretion. Existing federal climate-adaptation and heat-protection programmes will continue but face review, closer coordination, fewer application barriers and greater transparency. The cabinet took no immediate heat-protection decisions but will examine targeted help for wildfire prevention, emergency organizations, health protection, transport, agriculture and forestry after the extreme 2026 summer.