Evaluation of the German strategy for adaption to climate change (DAS) - reporting and closing indicator gaps

On 17th December 2008 the German Federal Cabinet adopted the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (DAS). This Strategy highlights areas likely to be affected by climate change or which already show evidence of impacts, as well as basic options for a possible approach and the requirements for action in various sectors. 2015 will see the publication of an initial progress report regarding the implementation and further development of the DAS. The progress report is to contain an indicator-based Monitoring Report which describes all consequences of climatic change referred to in the named DAS sectors, the measures being implemented as well as any past and current developments. The report is intended to address political decision-makers at the same time as serving interested members of the public.The Indicator System underlying the Monitoring Report and the overall report itself were created and agreed politically in an inter-departmental process with the participation of numerous experts from the competent sectors of agencies at Federal and Länder level and from scientific and private institutions. This painstaking theme-specific process took nearly six years. In future the monitoring report is to be updated quadrennially. The Indicator System comprises 102 indicators; the Monitoring Report runs to some 256 pages. High standards were set and a documentation system was constructed to support the process of updating the indicator documentation, the data sources and the reporting process itself. This documentation system was designed in a way to ensure the complete repeatability of calculations.