German aid organisations demand better civil protection amid increased threat from natural disasters
Clean Energy Wire
Germany's major aid organisations are urging the future government to increase civil protections in light of "the disasters resulting from rapidly increasing global warming and the worsening security situation". These threats dramatically demonstrated "how vulnerable Germany and its citizens are", the organisations said.
"The protection of the population must be given significantly more importance by the next federal government – at least 0.5 percent of the federal budget, or around 2.4 billion euros per year" should be dedicated to the cause, said Philipp Wiesener, head of the German Red Cross’ national relief society.
Civil protection is part of basic services and is of increasing importance, Wiesener said, adding that the resources provided so far – for example, for mobile care units – are completely inadequate. In a joint paper, the German Red Cross, the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), and other prominent welfare organisations outlined key measures to make public protection crisis-proof. In addition to increased financial resources, the organisations demanded:
- the establishment of an integrated crisis management system that includes all government, civil society, and business stakeholders;
- a reform of the Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance Act and a uniform federal regulation on the release, social security and financial compensation of volunteer helpers;
- stronger government support and promotion of volunteer services and volunteer coordination;
- greater support for education and information programmes to train citizens in self-protection measures so they can remain capable of acting in crisis situations;
- the expansion of international cooperation, including greater involvement by Germany in international networks to better tackle natural disasters, as well as international and man-made threats.
Noting that exploratory talks between the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and Social Democrats (SPD) in forming Germany’s next coalition government had already identified civil protection as an important area of action and the urgent need to "sustainably strengthen the protection of the population," the organisations called on the next government "to implement the necessary reforms as quickly as possible during the new legislative period".
