As part of the update to Solingen’s climate adaptation plan, approximately 30 citizens gathered on June 30, 2026, at the Gläserne Werkstatt in downtown Solingen to discuss their experiences with climate adaptation. The Climate Adaptation Plan is being revised jointly by Gertec and FiW on behalf of the city of Solingen by the end of 2026 and updated in accordance with DAS guidelines. A central component of this process is stakeholder participation, which allows not only administration staff and technical experts but also citizens to contribute their experiences.
At the start of the event, Andreas Budde, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Construction, Transportation, and the Environment for the City of Solingen, welcomed the participants. The project team then presented the objectives of the climate adaptation strategy as well as selected findings from the baseline and impact analysis. In doing so, they highlighted the impacts that rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and heavy rain events are already having on Solingen today, as well as the key areas of focus for future climate adaptation. Additionally, examples of measures already implemented in Solingen within these areas were presented.
The second part of the workshop focused on the experiences and perspectives of citizens. At three moderated discussion tables focusing on “Natural Climate Protection,” “Heat and Health,” and “Water Sensitivity,” participants discussed challenges in their local communities and collaboratively developed ideas for measures. In addition to identifying local problem areas, the discussion also emphasized concrete approaches through which the administration, policymakers, and citizens can contribute to climate adaptation.
The workshop’s results supplement the technical analyses with local experiences and will be incorporated into the ongoing update of the climate adaptation plan. Interested parties can continue to support the participatory process and submit their suggestions by August 16, 2026, via the City of Solingen’s digital idea map.
