In September 2024, the Senate of the State of Bremen adopted the Heat Action Plan for Bremen and Bremerhaven.
The heat action plan was developed by BPW Stadtplanung, GEO-NET Umweltconsulting GmbH and the Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research (IPP), Department of Social Epidemiology, in collaboration with the Senator for the Environment, Climate and Science, Climate Change Adaptation Department. Prof. Dr. Gabriele Bolte contributed her public health expertise on the health consequences of heat and on health equity. The heat action plan was developed in cooperation with various specialist administrations from Bremen and Bremerhaven and many stakeholders from the health and social sectors.

The Heat Action Plan comprises 26 measures in the five areas of (1) structural development, (2) risk communication, information, awareness-raising, (3) management of acute events, (4) climate-adapted urban development and (5) monitoring and evaluation.

The objectives of the Heat Action Plan are,
-    To better protect the population, especially vulnerable groups, during heat events in the future and to prevent an increase in heat-related morbidity and mortality,
-    To support public institutions and companies in taking precautions against heatwaves,
-    To sensitize people in the state of Bremen to the health effects of heat and to show them how they can take action,
-    To improve health equity by addressing social inequalities in exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacities to heat stress in the measures.

A special feature of the Heat Action Plan is its focus on health equity. This focus is intended to help ensure that the measures reduce social inequalities in exposure, sensitivity and adaptation options and that no new social inequalities arise in relation to heat and health. The starting point is that all people have the right to be equally protected from the health risks of heat. To achieve this, the scale and intensity of resources must be proportionate to the needs of socio-economically disadvantaged population groups.

The Heat Action Plan is available online at:

www.klimaanpassung.bremen.de

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Bolte
Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research
Department of Social Epidemiology
E-Mail: gabriele.bolte@uni-bremen.de

www.uni-bremen.de/en/institute-of-public-health-and-nursing-research/departments-working-groups/public-health-research/social-epidemiology