(Brüssel/04.06.2024). In the past few days, there have been record rainfall followed by the flood of the century in many areas of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. As recently as mid-May, there was torrential rain in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, also followed by massive flooding. Both in Saarland and now in southern Germany, there have unfortunately been fatalities and the damage runs into the billions.

Manuela Ripa, Member of the European Parliament for the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP - die Naturschutzpartei), emphasizes her sympathy for those affected by the floods. At the same time, she also reminds them of the responsibility of politics: "Even if it is difficult to link individual, extreme weather events directly to climate change, science agrees: in an ever warmer world, weather extremes are increasing. Air that is one degree Celsius warmer absorbs seven percent more moisture, which eventually rains down. And the oceans, with their record water temperatures, evaporate more moisture, which leads to more cloud formation and heavy rainfall events."

The ÖDP politician points out that, according to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Paris climate targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times are no longer achievable. This is why disasters like the one we are currently experiencing are unfortunately becoming more frequent. "The increasing droughts, heatwaves and floods are just a foretaste of life in a hot age. It is therefore imperative that we do more to limit man-made climate change. For the European elections next Sunday, this means above all strengthening those parties that are committed to the "European Green Deal" with the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Right-wing populist parties in particular, but also conservative parties such as the CDU and CSU, have railed against the Green Deal in recent weeks and months. This is absolutely irresponsible with regard to our future and the future of our children!"said the MEP.

According to Manuela Ripa, the fact that the farmers' association expects the floods to cause massive damage to agriculture shows once again that farmers and ecologists are not opponents, but are on the same side. Due to the increasingly frequent occurrence of extreme weather conditions as a result of accelerating climate change, it is becoming more and more difficult to farm at all in our latitudes.

However, it is not just the fight against climate change that requires our full commitment; we also need to adapt our world to the changing climate conditions. "Even if we were to stop emitting climate-impacting gases immediately, the effects on the climate would only be felt decades later. Modernization of water and wastewater pipes or the construction of rainwater retention basins are therefore urgently needed. Catching flood water and then allowing it to flow into the landscape in a controlled manner not only protects people and their possessions, but also contributes to groundwater regeneration. A pleasing example of the effectiveness of renaturation can be seen in Augsburg. Here, the Wertach was renaturalized in 1999. As the local ÖDP association in Augsburg reports, this saved the city from such a flood scenario, as the water was able to drain away naturally.

A natural flood protection also includes our wetlands. The preservation of existing wetlands and the renaturation and rewetting of former moors and wetlands is therefore essential. The European elections on 09.06.24 are therefore a fateful election not only for our democracy, but also for nature conservation and environmental protection. The election will also be fundamental for the future European Commission. It is the last Commission before important climate protection targets are reached in 2030. Now it is important to implement the measures agreed on climate protection and to strengthen nature conservation across Europe.", concluded the MEP.