Germany: Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) is calling for a constitutional amendment to expand federal funding for climate adaptation as the country faces increasingly frequent heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and water shortages.

According to Anadolu Agency, in a four-page action plan reported on Monday by public broadcaster ZDF, SPD ministers - junior partners in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition - proposed a national heat action plan, changes to urban planning and construction laws, and stronger protections for workers exposed to extreme temperatures. The ministers emphasized that a constitutional amendment is essential to allow the federal government to help finance measures that currently fall largely to states and municipalities.

Such a change is deemed 'a prerequisite' for the federal government to participate in financing municipal or state tasks 'and thus contribute in the long term, legally securely and comprehensively to measures for climate adaptation and nature conservation,' the paper said. The ministers highlighted that the consequences of climate change are affecting people worldwide and increasingly impacting Germany, citing challenges such as heat, drought, forest fires, low water levels, heavy rain, flooding, water scarcity, and UV radiation exposure.

The proposal was agreed upon by SPD ministers responsible for finance, environment, labor and social affairs, construction, and development. However, Chancellor Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc has so far reacted skeptically to the proposals. Speaking to local media, party representatives questioned the practical benefits of amending the constitution and pointed to the difficulty of securing the required two-thirds majority in parliament. SPD sources indicated that the proposals would be discussed among the coalition parties in the coming days.