Bavaria's Land Consumption Remains High in 2025
According to the Bavarian State Statistical Office, average daily land consumption in Bavaria was 8 hectares in 2025. LBV urges action to curb consumption due to climate change impacts.
Bavaria continued to experience a high rate of land consumption in 2025, with an average of 8 hectares per day. This figure, reported by the Bavarian State Statistical Office, remains significantly above the state's self-imposed target of a maximum of 5 hectares daily.
The Bavarian Nature Conservation Association (LBV) is once again calling on the state government to implement measures to reduce this trend. The organization highlights that the increasing sealing and drainage of land exacerbates the effects of climate change, such as heatwaves and drought. The reduction of moist soils diminishes nature's capacity to cool the air through evaporation.
Helmut Beran, LBV's Head of Nature Conservation Policy, emphasized the urgency, citing the extreme heat of summer 2026. "The extreme heat in the summer of 2026 drastically showed us how important it is to retain water in the landscape. Moist soils are essential for cooling the air during intense heat. If more and more areas are built over, it intensifies the consequences of heatwaves," Beran stated.
The LBV criticizes the Bavarian state government's failure to meet its own targets, arguing that a voluntary approach has proven ineffective. The association advocates for binding regulations and support for municipalities to utilize brownfield sites. LBV also opposes the sale of state forest land for new development, citing instances where industrial areas and even a helipad are planned on or near state forests, despite environmental concerns.