This summer, SpongeBoost Coordinator Mathias Scholz appeared in a short video released by the international media outlet DW News in July, highlighting the urgent need to restore Germany's river landscapes. In the video, shared on social media, Scholz discussed how nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetlands and floodplain ecosystems, can help mitigate flood damage.

As public interest in the topic grew, DW followed up with a detailed news article exploring the issue further. The piece emphasised that in Germany alone, two-thirds of the floodplains along its 79 main rivers have lost their ability to store excess water due to the widespread construction of dikes. Moreover, one-third of the remaining floodplains are covered by fields and houses, severely limiting their natural function. The problem extends beyond Germany — across Europe, "70-90% of floodplains have been environmentally degraded," leaving the continent more vulnerable to destructive floods as extreme weather events become more frequent.

One wetland region in eastern Germany, referenced by Scholz, recognised this threat early on. “We realized 30 years ago already that our industrial, technical advancement has made the forest in this region develop in a wrong direction, that our ecosystem isn't resilient anymore. And that we need to go back to the old ways and let nature work for us,” Scholz explained in the DW article.

Scholz emphasised the importance of protecting and restoring existing wetlands. “My advice to all places across the world is: protect what you already have, don't get rid of more wetlands, recognize your potential and invest in nature-based solutions. By restoring an ecosystem, we make the system more robust, reducing the potential damage for future generations. This may cost you some money at the beginning, but it will pay off in the long term. Because the next extreme weather events will come for sure, and damages from that will be much more expensive than your initial investment."

In addition to the short video and article, DW has produced a longer video piece as part of their Planet A series. This video dives deeper into the Leipzig case and highlights the SpongeBoost project’s work across Europe. Footage from SpongeBoost’s Kick-off Meeting is also featured, underscoring the importance of exchanging knowledge and fostering collaboration between project partners to develop effective, nature-based flood management solutions.

Watch the full video here: