Keeping an eye on climate protection: Mering discovers refreshing oases for the heat!

Keeping an eye on climate protection: Mering discovers refreshing oases for the heat!

The first public climate walk took place in Mering on October 29, 2025, organized by district manager Dr. Alexander Jungmann and environmental officer Petra von Thienen. The aim of the event was to explore bearable places in the community during extreme heat and improve the situation for residents. Mayor Florian Mayer, who supported the project, was also among the participants. The group was made up of people from Meringen who knew the area and collected innovative ideas for improving heat protection measures.

The walk lasted two hours and took in selected places in Mering, including the churchyard, the Lippgarten, the multi-purpose hall and the St. Agnes nursing home. At these stations, the current condition and possible ideas for improvement were discussed. A key message of the project was “heat protection rather than heat stress”, highlighting the necessary measures to support older people in extreme heat. The documentation of the results will be published on the initiators' website and should form the basis for further discussions with the responsible authorities.

Identification of climate oases and innovative ideas

During the climate walk, the group identified various indoor and outdoor climate oases such as the Lipp Garden and the Raiffeisenbank. In addition to identifying these432 locations, creative ideas such as sprayed water mist, artistically designed shade sails and store entrance buttons for those in need were discussed. These measures could help to improve the quality of stay on hot days and avoid heat-related overloading of the population.

The mayor also supported the introduction of a heat action plan for Mering, inspired by the successful Augsburg heat action plan. The need for such measures is reinforced by the effects of climate change, such as heat, drought and heavy rain events, which also have a significant impact on Mering.

Outlook for future initiatives

The initiators of the climate walk were extremely satisfied with the result and the interest of the participants. The next climate walk is already planned for spring 2026, which will then explore other places in the area in the form of a cycling ride. The aim is not only to raise awareness of the heat problem, but also to initiate a broad discussion about climate adaptation and necessary protective measures for the population.

These municipal initiatives are in the context of an overarching approach to climate adaptation, which has been supported in Germany since July 2024 by the Climate Adaptation Act (KAnG). Municipalities are therefore called upon to develop their own climate adaptation concepts in order to proactively counteract global warming and its consequences. According to a report by Deutschlandfunk, the damage from heat waves and other climate-related extreme events could reach up to 125 billion euros.

Overall, it shows that Mering is taking action to meet the challenges of climate change, while at the same time keeping the focus on the well-being of the older population. The successful implementation of such programs could also serve as a model for other communities to strengthen resilience to climate change.