Stuttgart, July 2025 – The Stuttgart region is already experiencing the effects of climate change. The number of hot days has increased over the past 30 years, and further rises are expected in the future. At the same time, increasingly frequent heavy rainfall events are already causing considerable damage. To provide targeted support to cities and municipalities in adapting to these challenges, the new digital climate atlas for the Stuttgart region (Climate atlas for the Stuttgart region) has now been published.
The climate atlas for the Stuttgart region is a key product of the ISAP project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and led by IREUS. ISAP's project partners are the Verband Region Stuttgart (VRS), the city of Stuttgart’s department of urban climatology (LHS), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), the German Institute for Urban Studies (Difu) and Dr. Pecher GmbH, as well as Lohmeyer GmbH and indblik.io as subcontractors.
The project aims to prepare local authorities in the region for the impacts of climate change by providing them with a robust information basis for planning. The interactive planning tool provides up-to-date, scientifically sound data on climate risks such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, as well as information on social vulnerabilities, critical infrastructure and economic damage assessments. The atlas shows where action is needed and enables forward-looking planning across municipal boundaries.
"The climate atlas bridges the gap between local and state levels, providing a foundation for the proactive management of climate risks across municipal boundaries. After all, climate risks do not end at town borders. The ISAP project's particular value lies in its combination of innovative research and close cooperation with practical partners, particularly the Verband Region Stuttgart and the city of Stuttgart”, says Prof. Jörn Birkmann, head of the Institute for Regional and Spatial Planning (IREUS) at the University of Stuttgart.
The issue is also gaining political importance: the new Federal Climate Adaptation Act requires greater consideration of climate aspects in settlement, infrastructure and open space planning. The Stuttgart Region Climate Atlas provides a central basis for this, making it an important building block for a climate-resilient future.
ISAP is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The project is one of six model projects working within the framework of the BMFTR funding measure ‘Regional Information on Climate Action’ (RegIKlim), which aims to improve climate adaptation capacities at regional and municipal levels through digital tools.
Further information on the ISAP project is available at: www.project.uni-stuttgart.de/isap/
News from our partners:
- BMFTR - FONA News
- Verband Region Stuttgart – Pressestatement
- Verband Region Stuttgart – Kurzfilm
- Pecher GmbH
Further scientific publications:
Birkmann, J., Hasse, J., Schmidt, C., Drautz, S., Luig, K., McMillan, J. & Göttsche, F. (2024): Mit digitalen Tools zum regionalen Anpassungshandeln: Das neue Online-Informations- und Beratungssystem der Region Stuttgart zum stadt-regionalen Umgang mit Klimarisiken. RaumPlanung 227 / 3/4-2024.
McMillan, J. M., Göttsche, F., Birkmann, J., Kapp, R., Schmidt, C., Weisser, B., & Jamshed, A. (2025): Mapping vulnerability to climate change for spatial planning in the region of Stuttgart, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1573–1596, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1573-2025.
Hundhausen, M., Feldmann, H., Kohlhepp, R., & Pinto, J. G. (2024). Climate change signals of extreme precipitation return levels for Germany in a transient convection‐permitting simulation ensemble. International Journal of Climatology, 44(5), 1454-1471, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8393
Hundhausen, M., Feldmann, H., Laube, N., and Pinto, J. G. (2023): Future heat extremes and impacts in a convection-permitting climate ensemble over Germany, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2873–2893, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2873-2023
IPCC, 2012: Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation [Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea, K.J Mach, G.-K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1-19. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/managing-the-risks-of-extreme-events-and-disasters-to-advance-climate-change-adaptation/
Birkmann, J. (2006). Indicators and criteria for measuring vulnerability: Theoretical bases and requirements. Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards: Towards disaster resilient societies, 55-77.
