Celle loses green crown: heat check only brings yellow!

Celle loses green crown: heat check only brings yellow!

In a current analysis by German Environmental Aid (DUH), Celle has lost its status as the greenest city in Lower Saxony and is now only in 8th place in Heat Check 2.0. Last year, the city was classified as particularly heat-resistant and was ranked 22nd nationwide. But how did this rapid fall in the rankings come about?

The Heat Check 2.0 evaluates 190 cities nationwide with over 50,000 inhabitants and has introduced the innovative Heat Impact Index (HBI), which now also takes into account how many people live in heavily polluted areas where high temperatures, a lot of sealing and little green space come together. Celle's HBI is 14.57, which places it in the average area of ​​concern in Lower Saxony. For comparison: the greenest city of Lingen (Ems) only has an HBI of 12.77. Wilhelmshaven follows with 13.05, Nordhorn with 13.45 and Oldenburg with 13.54.

Urban overheating and sealing

The analysis is based on satellite data that was evaluated by Potsdamer Luftbild Umwelt Planning GmbH. It shows that more than 12 million people in Germany live in cities that suffer from extreme heat stress in summer. Places with high levels of surface sealing are particularly affected. Celle currently has a sealing rate of 44.59 percent and a green volume of only 4.17 cubic meters of vegetation per square meter.

Mannheim performed worst in the entire study, followed by cities such as Ludwigshafen and Worms, where up to 91 percent of the population lives in heavily polluted areas. On the other hand, northern German cities such as Flensburg, Wilhelmshaven and Osnabrück show much lower heat stress, which indicates better urban structures and more green spaces.

An appeal to urban planning

The results of the heat check call for quick action. Greener urban planning could make a decisive contribution to reducing heat stress. Trees and parks are not only a beautiful sight, they also lower temperatures by several degrees and ensure a more pleasant urban climate. According to the Ministry of Buildings, it can be up to ten degrees cooler under treetops within a radius of 40 meters. It is therefore extremely important to focus more on the creation and preservation of green spaces.

As part of this study, the DUH also created a traffic light map: 31 cities received a red card due to high heat load, 131 cities received a yellow card thanks to medium load and only 28 cities made it into the green category with low heat load. These figures illustrate the urgent need for action in German cities.

The Heat Check 2.0 once again shows that the challenges of our urban environments must be taken seriously. Future-oriented urban planning that focuses on sustainability and a good amount of greenery is not only desirable, but downright necessary. Further information about the study and the results can be found on the DUH homepage here, as well as additional details about the specific heat stress in cities spectrum.

The coming years will be crucial in improving the urban climate in Celle and other cities and promoting quality of life. A good hand in urban planning is now required!