Heat Action Plans (HAP) are considered to be “the” essential instrument throughout Europe for preventing the loss of human life in phases of extreme heat (“heat waves”) and counteracting other heat-related health effects. With climate change, hot phases will also occur more frequently in Germany, last longer and be more extreme. The 93rd Conference of German Health Ministers of the federal states (GMK) in September 2020 therefore decided: "The health ministers and senators of the federal states consider it necessary to draw up heat action plans within a five-year period." referring to the municipalities, but also to the cooperation of all relevant actors. The workshop would like to clarify the need for HAPs in Germany, use concrete examples from various municipalities to present initial implementation variants and point out barriers that must be overcome in the near future if heat-related mortality and morbidity are not to increase significantly.

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