Heavy rain in Erkrath: Seminar on precautionary measures on November 26th!

Heavy rain in Erkrath: Seminar on precautionary measures on November 26th!

The heavy rain situation in Erkrath impressively shows how climate change influences weather patterns. Heavy rains are no longer uncommon - they are associated with an increased likelihood of extreme weather events, which makes the question of how communities and citizens prepare for these forces of nature all the more urgent. In order to raise awareness and educate the population, the Climate Protection Office of the Mettmann district is organizing an online seminar on the topic of “Protection against the consequences of heavy rain”. The seminar will take place on November 26th at 5 p.m. and will be led by Manuela Lierow, a heavy rain expert from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center. For those interested, access details and further information are available at www.kreis-mettmann.de (search word: heavy rain). No prior registration is required. The district's heavy rain guidelines can also be downloaded from the website or picked up in printed form from the district's cities.

But what is behind these disturbing weather phenomena? A new report from Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in August 2021, uncovers the scientific basis of climate change. Among them is the worrying finding that the Earth's surface temperature is rising faster than at any time in the last 2,000 years. Human activities are the main cause of climate change. These changes are leading to an unbridled increase in extreme weather events, which is evident not only in Erkrath, but also in devastating flood disasters in Germany, in which over 180 people have lost their lives. WWF reports that such weather events in West Germany, in which over 90 liters of rain fell per square meter, could occur annually in the future.

The need for preventive measures

In view of these alarming developments, it is clear that effective flood protection measures are required. This includes not only timely information for the population, but also long-term strategies such as reclaiming natural floodplains and improving the soil's infiltration capacity. These ecological solutions are of great importance, especially to counteract the increasing frequency of heavy rain events.

As a study by the World Weather Attribution Initiative (WWA) shows, heavy rainfall in Western Europe has increased by 1.2 to 9 times due to climate change. Experts agree that these trends not only need to be monitored locally, but that international action against the climate crisis is also necessary. A focus on climate and environmental protection, the expansion of renewable energies and a faster exit from fossil energies appear more urgent than ever.

In this context, the role of municipalities becomes absolutely crucial. It is time for cities like Erkrath to be well prepared to meet the challenges of climate change. The upcoming heavy rain guidelines and the upcoming seminar are first steps towards comprehensive protection against the consequences of increasing amounts of rain and extreme weather events. The need for action is clear: In order to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, all actors are called upon to do more to protect the climate.