Overview
- The late‑June heat period is linked to thousands of excess deaths, with the Federal Statistical Office reporting about 5,486 excess deaths for June 22–28 and the Robert Koch Institute estimating roughly 5,100 heat‑related fatalities for the June episode.
- A DGB‑commissioned survey of 4,000 workers found more than one in three employees already feel strongly or fairly strongly burdened by workplace heat, prompting DGB chair Yasmin Fahimi on July 17 to demand a legislated Hitze‑Ausfallgeld to cover weather‑related absences.
- Union leaders warn that heat will cause more work absences, accidents and productivity losses, citing an estimate that each heat day costs the German economy about €431 million and industry analyses that put multi‑billion euro losses across the summer.
- Municipalities have set up ad hoc measures such as ‘Hitzetelefone’ to check on vulnerable seniors and designated cool refuges, but advisers and local officials say cash, staff and planning power are lacking to scale building upgrades, shading and cooling for schools, hospitals and care homes.
- Commentators and experts say existing federal adaptation rules have not been fully implemented and that Fahimi’s demand has pushed workplace heat protection and calls for clear federal funding and leadership to the top of the national agenda.