On 10th anniversary, ‘Blue Compass’ honours six outstanding projects on climate change adaptation

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider: “This year’s summer heatwaves have showed us just how important it is to take a forward-looking approach to climate change. Fortunately, we are not starting from scratch, but we can also learn from successful projects across the country. This is evident from the many excellent entries for the ‘Blue Compass’ national award. It is encouraging to see the high level of commitment in many parts of the country to ensuring that Germany remains a great place to live, even in times of climate change. With the ‘Blue Compass’, we recognise the best ideas and show what is possible – so that even more people can be inspired by them.”

UBA President Dirk Messner: “For ten years now, the ‘Blue Compass’ has been highlighting the sheer amount of innovation and commitment in Germany when it comes to preparing for and adapting to the consequences of the climate crisis. The award winners exemplify what is already being done particularly well today – in agriculture and local authorities, in educational institutions and in the healthcare sector. This should inspire others affected by heat and drought, heavy rainfall and other climate impacts to better prepare themselves for the future. In this way, many can contribute, step by step and together, to making society  climate-resilient.”

The winning projects demonstrate how various societal actors – such as local authorities, businesses, schools, educational institutions and voluntary organisations in Germany – are addressing the consequences of climate change in innovative and forward-looking ways, thereby making a significant contribution to greater climate resilience. In doing so, they impressed the expert jury, which selected the five prize-winners. The additional ‘Community Prize’ was determined by a public online vote.

The winners of the 2026 ‘Blue Compass’ award

Heavy Rain Early Warning System – Identifying risks early, protecting people effectively

Fulda District, Hesse | Category: Local authorities

The district of Fulda has developed and introduced an early warning system that alerts the entire district to heavy rainfall. Over 180 internet-connected sensors located at watercourses, canals and public buildings record water levels and rainfall amounts in real time. The data is analysed using artificial intelligence and cross-referenced with radar data from the German Weather Service. All 23 towns and municipalities in the district are connected to the system, which also alerts residents via an app, text message or phone call with advance warning times of up to 60 minutes. During a heavy rainfall event in May 2024, the early warning system enabled the local fire services to ‘stay one step ahead of the situation’ for the first time, meaning they were able to coordinate their operations at an early stage. Other districts in Hesse are now developing similar systems. 

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/starkregenfruehalarmsystem-risiken-frueh-erkennen

Gramzow Sponge Farm: Systemic soil regeneration as a response to extreme weather

Stefan Bernickel Farm, Gramzow, Brandenburg | Category: Private and local authority enterprises

In the Uckermark region, which receives little rainfall, farmer Stefan Bernickel has completely converted his family farm to a regenerative farming system. He avoids using ploughs and cultivators in his arable farming, employs the soil-conserving strip-till method for sowing, and uses a climate-resilient crop rotation system featuring chickpeas and grain maize. All these measures enable the soil to store water rather than allowing it to run off. Since the farm changed its management practices, the earthworm population in the soil has risen from one or two individuals to 10–20 worms per spadeful – measurable evidence of improved water infiltration. The state of Brandenburg has recognised the farm as an official consultation farm for soil-conserving tillage since summer 2026. It now officially serves as a hub for knowledge transfer between agricultural holdings and, to this end, regularly organises professional exchanges on climate-resilient farming practices.

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/schwamm-acker-gramzow-systemische-bodenregeneration

Planetary Health and climate-sensitive midwifery – Climate prevention and adaptation in the healthcare sector

Catholic University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Bavaria | Category: Research and educational institutions

Die Katholische Stiftungshochschule München hat gemeinsam mit den Dualen Hochschulen Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart und Heidenheim ein Hochschulmodul entwickelt und etabliert, das Hebammen gezielt auf die gesundheitlichen Folgen des Klimawandels vorbereitet. Die Studierenden lernen, klimasensible Beratung anzubieten – etwa zu hitzegerechter Alltagsgestaltung in der Schwangerschaft oder zu Risiken bei Extremwetterlagen für Neugeborene. Damit werden besonders vulnerable Personengruppen adressiert. Außerdem wurde das Lehrbuch „Klimasensible Hebammenpraxis“ veröffentlicht. Das Modul soll mittelfristig in alle hebammenwissenschaftlichen Bachelorstudiengänge in Deutschland integriert werden.

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/planetary-health-klimasensible-hebammenarbeit

The Courage Workshop – Courage as a future skill for living with climate change

NaturGut Ophoven e.V. Support Association, Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia | Category: Associations, clubs and foundations

The floods in July 2021 destroyed large parts of the NaturGut Ophoven Environmental Education Centre, as well as the EnergieStadt Children’s and Youth Museum in Leverkusen. This damage gave rise to a new beginning: on the site of a former banana ripening facility, the NaturGut Ophoven Friends’ Association has been running ‘Die MutReiferei’ since August 2025. This modular, hands-on exhibition addresses climate anxiety among children and young people. In eight shipping containers covering around 120 square metres, they develop courage as a key skill for the future – using various approaches under the headings ‘KopfMut’, ‘OhrMut’, ‘HerzMut’ and ‘HandMut’. By March 2026, 5,080 people, including 3,569 children, had already visited the exhibition. The exhibition concept has been published.

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/die-mutreiferei-mut-als-zukunftskompetenz-fuer-das

Campus Cultiva – School builds a learning centre for climate-adapted food production combining fish farming and crop cultivation

St Mauritius Secondary School, Halle (Saale), Saxony-Anhalt | Category: Schools

St Mauritius Secondary School in Halle (Saale) has built a 22-square-metre greenhouse with an integrated aquaponics system on its school grounds – a closed-loop system in which fish farming and plant cultivation support one another. Thanks to a water recycling system, rainwater harvesting and solar energy, the system is resource-efficient, largely energy-self-sufficient and independent of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. The project contributes to climate adaptation by enabling year-round food production, regardless of weather conditions, which is resilient to extreme weather events such as droughts or heavy rainfall. Pupils in Years 5 to 10 dug the foundation pit themselves, erected the formwork and poured the concrete foundations. The greenhouse serves as an interdisciplinary learning space for sustainable food production.

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/campus-cultiva-schule-baut-lernort-fuer

OPG Climate Forest and Orchard Meadow

Olof-Palme-Gesamtschule, Hiddenhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen | Gemeinschaftspreis (Online-Abstimmung)

By organising its own charity run, the Olof Palme Comprehensive School in Hiddenhausen raised around 33,000 euros – and used the funds to plant a mixed-fruit orchard and a climate forest comprising over 5,000 trees and shrubs on the edge of the Schweichelner Forest. These green spaces not only act as CO₂ sinks, but also retain water on the slope during heavy rainfall, thereby providing better protection against flooding for the neighbouring residential area. At the same time, a vibrant learning environment has been created outside the school grounds: the ecosystems of the orchard meadow and the forest are directly integrated into lessons across several subjects – from biology and home economics to art. A partner school in Sweden has already expressed an interest in adopting the model.

Video: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/video/opg-klimawald-streuobstwiese

About the ‘Blauer Kompass’ competition

The ‘Blauer Kompass’ Federal Prize is awarded every two years jointly by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Federal Environment Agency. It recognises innovative, effective and sustainable solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Germany. For the first time this year, schools and school projects were able to apply in a dedicated category.

The winners in the five categories were selected by a jury comprising eight experts from fields including politics, local authority umbrella organisations, business, research, communication and youth participation. The Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Federal Environment Agency were represented on the jury by Parliamentary State Secretary Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter and UBA Vice-President Lilian Busse. In addition, a ‘Community Prize’ was awarded, for which anyone interested could vote via an online poll. A total of 24,795 valid votes were cast.

In addition to prize money of 25,000 euros each, the winning projects receive support with their press and public relations work. Among other things, a professional short film was produced for each winning project.

The award ceremony took place on 17 September 2026 at the Federal Ministry for the Environment in Berlin. It marked the highlight of the nationwide ‘Climate Adaptation Week’, during which the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Climate Adaptation Centre (ZKA), under the motto ‘Together for Climate Adaptation’, organised events across Germany to showcase the diversity and strong commitment to climate adaptation.