Berlin’s water future: dialogue begins with the 1st Water Forum

Whether it’s a heatwave or falling water levels: the effects of the climate crisis are already a reality for the people of Berlin. In future, water shortages will be further exacerbated by structural change in Lusatia – bringing with them a whole range of challenges. Against this backdrop, members of the public, researchers and representatives from the worlds of politics and practice came together at the first Berlin Water Forum at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin to discuss how the capital region’s water supply can be secured in the long term. The forum was organised in close cooperation with the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.

The consequences of structural change in Lusatia are leading to significantly lower water levels in the River Spree and, combined with a growing population and climate change, are posing major challenges for Berlin. To tackle these, the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment is implementing the Water Master Plan. The Water Masterplan is the forward-looking strategy for Berlin’s water management. One thing is clear: a sustainable transformation of the water sector can only succeed with the involvement of the public. During discussions at various themed roundtables, citizens attending the first Water Forum therefore shared their concerns and ideas, whilst also engaging in dialogue with representatives from politics, public administration, academia and the sector. This gave rise to a dialogue in which different perspectives came together, questions were answered and common starting points for the state’s future water policy were developed. This was based on specific contributions that participants had previously submitted via the digital platform www.naturderdinge.de as part of the ‘Wasserzukunft. Stimmen aus Berlin und Brandenburg’ project, as well as those developed in workshops.

„The droughts of recent years are merely a foretaste of the challenges facing us in the coming decades. The climate continues to change and the pressure on our water resources will rise steadily,“ emphasised Prof. Johannes Vogel, Ph.D., Director General of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, at the event. „It is therefore high time for solutions: solutions that are developed and supported jointly by society and the political sphere.“

Andreas Kraus, State Secretary for Climate Protection and the Environment, also emphasised the importance of public participation following a direct exchange with those present: „Berlin’s water management is on the cusp of change. With the Water Master Plan, we have a clear strategy for the future to secure, modernise and expand our water infrastructure in a way that is fit for the future. Its implementation requires close collaboration between all relevant stakeholders – and, in particular, the perspectives of Berlin’s residents. After all, we are shaping Berlin’s water future together.“

The results of the discussions at the themed tables demonstrated just how great the interest in active participation is. During these exchanges, numerous ideas were developed for greater citizen involvement and swift implementation. A key focus was on how Berlin can continue to advance its journey towards becoming a ‘sponge city’ and retain more rainwater within the neighbourhoods. Transparent information, effective opportunities for public participation and reliable funding were also identified as important prerequisites for a sustainable water management system. „When the trees in the neighbourhood wither in summer or heavy rain floods the streets, we see right on our doorstep just how urgent the need for action is. We, as citizens, do not want to be passive observers; instead, we want to contribute our local knowledge and play an active role in shaping the transition to a ‘sponge city’,“ explained participant Johanna Erdmann.

Strong networks form the basis for this. The ‘Wasserzukunft’ project therefore ties in with the Berlin University Alliance’s ‘ON WATER – WasserWissen in Berlin’ programme and builds on key findings and ideas from the consortium’s work to date. Using innovative research methods and new insights into a wide range of water-related topics, the Berlin Universities’ Network of Excellence has laid important foundations for addressing the future of water – in Berlin and beyond. Through this collaboration, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is strengthening its role as a link between science, politics and society and is committed to shaping Berlin’s water future together with the public.

About the project: The project ‘The Future of Water: Voices from Berlin and Brandenburg’ is made possible by funding from the LOTTO Foundation Berlin and is being carried out in cooperation with the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, as well as with numerous partners from the fields of science, education, water management and environmental protection. Members of the public can continue to contribute their observations on water-related changes (photos, videos, reports) to thedigital platform at any time, even beyond the Water Forum, and take part in upcoming workshops in Berlin and Brandenburg. The project will run from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2028. 

About the Berlin Water Master Plan: Water Master Plan: Future Strategy for Berlin’s Water Management – Berlin.de