The Federal Climate Adaptation Act is Germany’s (separate) climate framework law aimed at strengthening climate adaptation to protect life and health, society, the economy and infrastructure as well as nature and ecosystems.

Pursuant to the law, the government must present a precautionary climate adaptation strategy with measurable targets by the end of September 2023. The strategy will be developed based on a climate risk analysis and will comprise various clusters all of which include several fields of action. The clusters are:

Water;
Infrastructure;
Land and land use;
Health;
Economy;
Urban development; and
Cross-cutting.

The government must also publish a periodic monitoring report which will inform the public about the observed consequences of climate change and the status of target achievement of the precautionary climate adaptation strategy. If the monitoring report reveals that the targets are not met, the measures in the strategy must be amended.

Notably, the law also includes a consideration requirement according to which public authorities must consider climate adaptation goals in an interdisciplinary and integrated manner. Both occurred and anticipated effects of climate change must be taken into consideration.

Lastly, the Federal States can implement their own adaptation laws and must present and implement Federal precautionary adaptation strategies. The Federal States must also present on the state of so-called climate adaptation concepts of municipalities and districts.

Passed Act