European Union's Committee Contributing to the Drafting of the Green Paper Concerning Its Future Prospects

In an effort to combat the rising number of skin cancer cases and protect the population from harmful UV radiation, the Regensburg district has installed a UV Index sign at the Guggenberger Lake. This initiative is a significant step in the district's climate adaptation strategy, funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection.

The UV Index sign, designed by the Working Group Dermatological Prevention (ADP) in collaboration with the German Cancer Aid, will provide bathers with information about the current UV values. The sign, handed over by Gerhard Lindner, Director of AOK Regensburg, to Tanja Schweiger on August 5, 2025, is a valuable contribution to health promotion.

Excessive sunlight can cause visible and tangible damage to the skin, such as sunburn, cataracts, and skin cancer. Since 2000, the number of new skin cancer cases in Germany has more than doubled, highlighting the need for such initiatives.

Climate Adaptation Manager Sarah Bauch, who has been coordinating the development of a climate adaptation concept for the region since March 2025, explains that measures like the UV Index sign raise awareness of the increasing burden of heat and UV radiation. Simone Eckert, head of the business office of Health Regions Plus Regensburg, further emphasised that knowing the radiation level helps protect oneself.

The UV Index (UVI) shows the expected peak value of sunburn-effective UV radiation at ground level. The goal is to install the UV Index signs at locations with particularly high sunburn risk, such as lakes, outdoor pools, or other outdoor leisure facilities. The signs are part of the Health Regions Plus initiative, which aims to provide UV Index signs to better protect the population from UV radiation risks.

The Regensburg district is increasingly affected by the consequences of climate change, such as hot summers with increasing UV radiation. The climate change also affects the health of the population, and measures like the UV Index sign are a first visible step in municipal climate adaptation. The goal of the climate adaptation concept is to analyze the vulnerability of the region to climatic changes and develop strategies and measures to protect and strengthen nature, infrastructure, economy, and population.

The funding for this project is within the framework of the funding program "Measures for adaptation to climate change." The search results do not provide the name of the person coordinating the development process of the climate adaptation concept for the Regensburg area since March 2025. Nonetheless, the installation of the UV Index sign at the Guggenberger Lake marks a significant milestone in Regensburg's climate adaptation strategy. The current UV Index can be retrieved daily via an integrated QR code, providing continuous information to the public.

European Union's Committee Contributing to the Drafting of the Green Paper Concerning Its Future Prospects