Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The impacts are globally and regionally visible through more and more frequent extreme weather events, be they devastating storms, longer periods of cold and heat or prolonged periods of drought alternating with heavy rain and flooding. In addition to the urgent need for climate change mitigation, therefore, the question has been raised for some time as to which measures cities and municipalities, rural districts and regions can use to prepare themselves against the consequences of climate change.The region of Northern Hesse developed strategies and measures for climate adaptation at an early stage as part of the KLIMZUG (shaping climate change for the future in regions) federal support programme. The question remains open as to what will happen in rural regions - and especially in remote places - when there is no more civil protection assistance available in the event of adisaster either because they are needed elsewhere, roads are impassable or electricity, telephone and Internet connections are no longer functioning. For this case, aproject consortium led by the Regionalmanagement Nordhessen GmbH has now developed the volunteers on-site system (Freiwilligen-vor-Ort-System [FvOS]) as an organised form of neighbourhood support.This model project, which is unique in Germany, is intended to show how care for people in need of help and care can be ensured in rural areas in the event of adisaster.The project has sensitised citizens and task forces to this task and initiated aprocess that is intended to lead to more self-responsibility, but also safety in the event of adisaster situation. FvOS is intended to signal the need for climate change mitigation throughout Germany.
Schach, H
Organised neighbourhood support during extreme weather events in rural areas. Using the volunteers on-site system to strategically adapt to crisis situations caused by climate change
Bundesgesundheitsblatt-Gesundheitsforschung-Gesundheitsschutz