Frequently Asked Questions about SOZIAHR
Here we answer frequently asked questions abaout SOZIAHR, our research and aim, the current survey and more.
The SOZIAHR research project
We would like to take stock of the well-being of people in the Ahr Valley as they rebuild following the flood disaster, and to demonstrate the link between climate resilience and social justice. To advance climate protection and climate adaptation, the costs should be distributed in a socially equitable manner. In this way, we can strengthen public support for urgently needed climate resilience measures and promote democratic cohesion in the long term.
We have three key research questions:
- What impact did the flood have on the people in the Ahr Valley?
- What conflicts of interest exist between climate resilience and social justice in the reconstruction process?
- How can legal frameworks and administrative processes be better designed to promote both climate and flood protection, whilst also reducing any inequalities and injustices in the reconstruction process?
SOZIAHR is largely funded by the non-profit Mercator Foundation, which is committed to an open, solidarity-based society characterised by equal opportunities. SOZIAHR forms part of the ‘Climate-Resilient Society’ funding programme, which, alongside ‘Digital Society’, ‘Europe in the World’ and ‘Participation and Cohesion’, is one of the foundation’s three main priority areas. The Rectorate of the University of Bonn, as well as the Faculty of Law and Economics and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bonn, are also providing funding for the project from their own resources.
We will develop recommendations for action on how legal regulations and administrative processes can be made more socially equitable and climate-resilient in the context of extreme weather events. We also aim to identify potential incentives for the voluntary implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation measures. These recommendations are intended to relate specifically to the situation in the Ahr Valley, whilst also being applicable to other regions in Germany. It is crucial that we do not focus on assigning blame to individuals, but rather on systemic solutions and structural improvements.
Media attention for a disaster-stricken area wanes much more quickly than the actual reconstruction and the recovery of the local population take place. Many of the medium- to long-term consequences of the floods and the reconstruction process are only now becoming fully apparent, and it is estimated that the process of coping with the crisis, both individually and collectively, will continue for another 5–10 years. 2026 is therefore a good time to carry out a comprehensive (interim) review, the results of which can in turn provide a sound basis for decision-making regarding the region’s future development. This applies in particular to the evaluation of government reconstruction aid, for which the application deadline with ISB Bank is 30 June 2026.
Five years after the floods, we aim to take stock and present reliable data on how people in the Ahr Valley are faring today (in terms of reconstruction, their living conditions and their attitudes). In doing so, we will directly stimulate local debate, highlight social issues and provide the parallel workshop process – aimed at finding practical solutions – with important evidence.
We will present concrete and scientifically sound recommendations for action to stakeholders in the Ahr Valley and potentially affected regions throughout Germany on how climate resilience can be implemented in a socially just manner. In doing so, the project will support the ongoing reconstruction in the Ahr Valley, which is estimated to take a further 10 to 15 years.
Methods, data and the survey
A key element of our work is a large-scale public survey involving around 70,000 adults who were directly or indirectly affected by the flood disaster. We will also conduct interviews with representatives of the authorities and analyse relevant documents. To ensure our research remains closely aligned with real-world practice, we will also hold accompanying workshops with experts from the region.
Through these workshops, we ensure a close link to real-world practice. During these workshops, we gather and discuss the social challenges identified by practitioners in the Ahr Valley. This enables us to refine our measurement tools and engage with relevant decision-makers at an early stage. Throughout the project, we will also use the workshops to provide timely feedback on our own (interim) findings to practitioners and to gather their input.
The questionnaire contains comprehensive sections on how individuals have been affected and the reconstruction processes. In addition, we are asking about political views relating to the flood disaster, examining social integration and enquiring about the demographic characteristics of the respondents. This will enable us to gain a good overview of the progress of reconstruction and the general living conditions of the residents.
We are sending an invitation by post to around 70,000 adults to take part in the study. This corresponds to all residents of the municipalities of Adenau, Altenahr, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Sinzig and Grafschaft who were registered there on the cut-off date of the flood (14 July 2021) and for whom we have a current address. People who were not directly affected by the floods are also expressly and warmly invited to accept this invitation, as it is important for the study of the flood’s consequences to have a control group of people who were not (directly) affected by the floods.
Climate Resilience
Climate resilience means that, as a society, we build up our ability to withstand extreme weather events, the frequency and intensity of which are increasing as a result of climate change. For the Ahr Valley, this means, above all, strengthening flood defences. It is important not to view resilience purely in technical or structural terms, but to also take into account legal regulations, political decisions, numerous social and cultural aspects, and general awareness of the risks involved.
Climate resilience and social justice are not fundamentally at odds with one another, but conflicts of interest can arise. The application and approval processes involved in reconstruction are often described as very slow, bureaucratic and gruelling. This is due, amongst other things, to strict climate and flood protection requirements. These, in turn, have a particularly severe impact on people on low incomes or with little specialist knowledge.
Example 1: When building a new home, the buildable area of the plot may be reduced because current regulations require a 10-metre distance to be maintained from the nearest stream. Alternatively, there may be restrictions stipulating that basement rooms cannot be used as bedrooms. This affects those households more severely that are already struggling with a shortage of living space.
Example 2: When building a new house, it may be necessary to construct the building on a small hill. However, this causes even more water displacement for the neighbours’ homes. This raises the question of whether this is the best solution for the neighbourhood as a whole.
The importance of climate protection and climate adaptation for a bright future is growing by the day, as climate change continues to advance and extreme weather events become more frequent. At the same time, we know that severe social inequalities can undermine democratic cohesion and slow down urgently needed changes. We want to find systemic solutions to counteract this and strengthen both climate resilience and social justice.
Example 1: Often, those affected are completely unaware of the government grants available for climate protection and flood defence measures, and that they might, under certain circumstances, be able to rebuild at a different location. This puts people with little experience of building processes and limited financial resources at a disadvantage, but also has a negative impact on climate resilience in the Ahr Valley as a whole.
Example 2: Promoting communal forms of housing contributes to both objectives: on the one hand, it prevents older people in particular from becoming isolated in single-person households; on the other hand, it helps to make the distribution of housing more efficient and resource-efficient. This type of housing could be given special support, particularly during the reconstruction phase following such a disaster.
