Heat Approach 2025: Together Prepared for the Consequences of Heat

In addition to coping as well as possible with increasingly frequent extreme heat, the cabinet is also working to reduce greenhouse gases as agreed in the Climate Agreement.

The Heat Approach 2025 is divided into 4 thematic lines: area, building, health, and emergencies. This way, parties wanting to limit the effects of heat, such as municipalities, housing corporations, and care institutions, can easily find what is already happening per theme.

1. Area: making the living environment greener and cooler
   The Area thematic line focuses on greening and cooling the living environment. Think of creating shaded spots, placing water taps, and reducing paving. This helps lower the temperature in residential neighborhoods and makes staying outside more pleasant.
2. Building: comfortable and healthy homes
   The Building thematic line focuses on limiting heat in homes and buildings. Important measures are good insulation, ventilation, and sunshades. This not only prevents overheating but also reduces unnecessary use of air conditioners and the associated high energy consumption.
3. Health: staying healthy in times of climate change
   The Health thematic line emphasizes awareness and prevention of heat-related complaints. The number of municipalities with a heat plan should grow from 90 to 180. Such a plan contains agreements on responsibilities and measures during a heat period. Communication about heat is also made clearer by using heat intensity, a number on a scale from 1 to 10 indicating the heats intensity.
4. Emergencies: what if heat stress can disrupt society?
   Finally, the Emergencies thematic line focuses on good preparation for heat crises. Think of clear warning systems and protocols. This way, (local) governments, emergency services, and care providers know exactly what to do during a heat crisis.

The approach offers great examples to learn from each other and practical tools to get started yourself. The ministries will annually bring together the growing network of social organizations physically to stimulate further action, knowledge sharing, and cooperation.

The Heat Approach 2025 focuses on concrete short-term actions. Additionally, the government is working on a broader plan for the future. In 2026, the cabinet will present the new National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS 26), which will also include the long-term approach to heat.