The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is an executive agency of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community and is responsible for matters related to civil protection and disaster assistance. The BBK takes into account all areas of civil disaster preparedness and integrates them into an effective mechanism in order to protect the population and its livelihood. BBK advises and supports other state-level and national authorities in their daily work. For example, it developed methods for risk analysis in civil protection, which can be applied for risk analyses on all administrative levels. Within the scope of its responsibilities in warning the population in case of hazards, BBK e.g. operates the warning app NINA that transmits hazard alerts to the public. The Academy for Crisis Management, Emergency Planning and Civil Protection as the central educational institution of the federal state regarding risk and crisis management, and regarding civil protection is organized by the BBK. Furthermore, the National Focal Point for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is based at the BBK.

The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) is a civil protection organization funded by the German Federal Government. Originally established as a civil protection tool, i.e. the protection of the population in case of war, its responsibilities have broadened and are defined within the Act on the Federal Agency for Technical Relief. Nowadays, it provides technical assistance according to the Federal Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance Act (ZSKG). With its expertise and diverse experience, THW assists fire services, police, charities and many other aid organisations in Germany. Furthermore, it is deployed worldwide on behalf of the Federal Government. Its tasks include technical and logistical assistance within the framework of the Community Civil Protection Mechanism and on behalf of UN agencies.

The German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) is a German federal enterprise. It offers workable, sustainable and effective solutions in political, economic and social change processes to its customers. Most of the GIZ’s work is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). However, GIZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries and public and private bodies in Germany and abroad. On behalf of BMZ, GIZ has been active in implementing measures for disaster preparedness as well as post-disaster recovery (i.e. emergency aid and reconstruction measures aiming at preventing future disasters). Within the Global initiative on disaster risk management (GIDRM), GIZ worked to strengthen international networks comprising various actors to address specific challenges in disaster risk management in the key areas of strengthening civil protection and disaster risk management, the protection of critical infrastructures as well as the development, upgrade and expansion of early warning systems. Thereby, it aims to foster the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as well as regional action plans.

Germany's National Meteorological Service (DWD) is responsible for meeting meteorological requirements arising from all areas of economy and society in Germany. Its responsibilities are defined in §4 of the Deutscher Wetterdienst Act. They include e.g. providing meteorological and climatological services, as well as meteorological information to ensure the safety of aviation, maritime shipping, traffic routes and vital infrastructures, recording, analyzing and monitoring of the physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere with regard to radioactive trace substances, weather and climate forecasting, as well as warnings on weather-related hazards. Further tasks are climate monitoring throughout Germany, assessing climate change, advising on climate change adaptation and operating the national climate archive.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) at Helmholtz Centre Potsdam is Germany’s national research center for the solid Earth Sciences. The GFZ develops a profound understanding of systems and processes of the solid Earth together with strategies and options for action to address global change and its regional impacts, to understand natural hazards and to minimize associated risks, as well as to assess the human impact on System Earth. The GFZ was in charge of the development of an Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean in late December 2004. The Tsunami Early Warning System was established in Indonesia and handed over to the country in 2011.

The German Red Cross (DRK) is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the National Red Cross Society in the Federal Republic of Germany. The DRK has comprehensive proficiency in acute emergency and disaster relief, in reconstruction and in humanitarian development cooperation. The main focus of the work is on providing shelter and social infrastructure, disaster prevention, health and nutrition, water and sanitation supply, hygiene as well as the improvement of livelihoods. With forecast-based financing, the Red Cross has established a financial mechanism that provides funding based on in-depth forecast information and risk analysis in the run-up to extreme weather events to minimize impacts of disasters.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. The DLR undertakes both fundamental as well as applied research in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, digitalisation and security. DLR undertakes research activities with a bearing on defence and security and manages them in collaboration with partners in government, academia and industry. The focus is on multi- and interdisciplinary projects linking together DLR's fields of research. DLR's security-related research work delivers services for development, testing and evaluation of technologies, and assessment of and consultancy for security-related applications, with the objective of supporting and protecting the population. The DLR is involved in the European Earth Observation Programme Copernicus, which supports e.g. emergency and crisis management by providing satellite-based information (emergency mapping in response to disasters) for managing natural disasters as well as humanitarian relief missions.

The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) investigates the complex human-nature interactions in the context of global change. Goal of their research is to demonstrate ways to combine societal development with a healthy environment. In close cooperation with decision-makers and societal stakeholders, the researchers of the UFZ elaborate system solutions to better manage complex environmental systems and overcome environmental problems.

Cologne’s municipal drainage company, Stadtentwässerungsbetriebe Köln, AöR, (StEB) is a municipal company of the city of Cologne. Its core activities include all water management tasks, including sewage disposal, flood control and flood prevention as well as water maintenance and waterway construction. StEB has developed flood risk maps for Cologne showing the areas at risk from flooding, groundwater flooding and heavy rainfall.

The Competence Centre “KomPass – Climate Impacts and Adaptation in Germany” as part of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has set itself the task to promote climate change adaptation in Germany and Europe. The main tasks of KomPass include the further development of the German Adaptation Strategy (DAS) and the promotion of its implementation. In the progress report on the DAS (2015) concrete steps and measures were defined. To this end, KomPass pools and imparts expertise on climate impacts and potential adaptation measures. Its target groups are authorities, scientists, industrial and environmental associations, companies and citizens.

The Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) at the United Nations University carries out cutting edge research on risks and adaptation related to environmental hazards and global change. The research by UNU-EHS promotes policies and programs to reduce these risks, while taking into account the interplay between environmental and societal factors. Research focuses on climate change adaptation incorporating insurance-related approaches, environmentally induced migration and social vulnerability as well as ecosystem services and environmental deterioration processes. Further key areas include models and tools to analyse vulnerability and risks linked to natural hazards, with a focus on urban space and rural-urban interfaces.

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is one of the largest private aid organisations in Germany; politically independent and non-denominational. Welthungerhilfe works on the principle of help for self-help in various areas and issues: from fast disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organisations. Apart from its Emergency Response Team acting in the case of a disaster, Welthungerhilfe works in disaster prevention and early warning e.g. by regularly undertaking in-depth risk analyses from which emergency protocols are derived.

Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation

District Manager

Professor of Geography and Natural Risks Research