The Erdinger city council group of the Greens call for action.
The thunderstorms of the past few weeks should be a wake-up call, the city must react by investing in climate protection.
Erding - Risk management in the event of flash floods and heavy rain, precipitation measuring points, climate-neutral development plans: The Erdinger Greens demand rapid action at the municipal level in order to counter climate change and protect citizens from its consequences.
"The devastating rainfall of the past few weeks must be a wake-up call for us," says Herbert Maier. The spokesman for the six-member Green City Council group and speaker for climate protection and energy not only looks at the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, but also at the torrents that flowed through parts of Landshut's old town after the severe storm at the end of June. “The damage is getting worse and at some point unaffordable. We have to react as quickly as possible with adaptation measures, protective measures and investments in local climate protection, ”warns Maier.
While the flood protection for Sempt and Fehlbach is at least in the planning stage, heavy rain events with flash floods on slopes have not been taken into account so far. These could not be countered with the measures planned so far. Maier is in favor of a communal concept that shows options for prevention, prevention and aftercare. The water management authorities are responsible for this: "We should definitely accept this offer."
The Greens also demand precipitation measuring points, distributed throughout the city, and - in an emergency - a targeted warning of the population. “There is also a need for new strategies for fire brigades and disaster control, possibly with the involvement of the population. It is also necessary to advise citizens at risk on private protective measures such as suitable structural measures for sealing, own pumps and emergency power generators. "
Maier explains: "In terms of precipitation, 70 percent of the annual volume is expected in the wettest two weeks of the year". This requires a new strategy: “Cisterns should buffer water that can be used in the dry phases. This storage function should also take on building areas in the area. In addition, one can counter climate change with facade and roof greening as well as shading of squares and streets with as many trees as possible.
If the Greens have their way, only climate-neutral development plans may be drawn up in Erding that enable solar construction with a maximum of four to five full storeys, "since higher buildings can no longer supply themselves and additional space is then required for solar systems," says Maier. The supply must be entirely from renewable energies, fossil fuels would be excluded: "In the Erdinger district heating supply, too, the predominantly fossil share must be minimized as quickly as possible through efficiency measures, long-term storage and conversion to renewable energies."
In general, the city should lead the way in municipal buildings with good examples and erect climate-neutral buildings from building materials with a low ecological footprint, renovate existing buildings energetically and equip them with solar systems.
Because: "While the demand for heat will decrease, the demand for electricity from heat pumps and electromobility will increase massively."
In order to be able to cope with all these tasks in the city administration, personnel reinforcement is necessary.
"We urgently need several specialists who have to be recruited," emphasized the Greens parliamentary group spokesman.
Time was of the essence and the measures were costing a lot of money.
For funding, the Greens propose to forego building new roads in the next few years and only implement necessary renovations and developments.
Gabi Zierz