BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The upcoming summer invites people to go out in the fresh air and sunbathe - but intense UV radiation can become a danger. "The risk of getting sunburn depends on the position of the sun and is particularly high in the summer months from June to August and at midday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.," dermatologist Mark Berneburg told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

The more intensively and frequently the skin is exposed to UV rays, the higher the risk of skin cancer. Is climate change actually increasing the intensity of UV radiation? "Warmer climates do not automatically lead to higher UV radiation," explained Andreas Matzarakis of the Center for Medical-Meteorological Research of the German Weather Service (DWD). He said it is not clear at this point how exactly radiation will change as a result of climate change.

"In general, it has to be said that UV radiation is subject to very strong fluctuations." The intensity depends on various factors such as cloud cover, geographic location and altitude, he said. Climate change does not necessarily alter the intensity of the radiation, but it does change people's leisure time behavior: As it gets warmer, people spend more time outdoors and in the sun.

UV rays can cause harmful changes in the genetic material of skin cells, which in the long term increase the risk of white and black skin cancer, as Berneburg explained. Blistering sunburns, long and regular stays in the sun, but also solarium visits are partly responsible, as the Secretary General of the German Dermatological Society said.

With humans with bright skin type the risk for skin cancer is particularly high. And children are also at high risk, he added: "After all, the youngest bear a particularly high risk, since in children the protective mechanisms of the skin against UV rays, such as pigment formation and light callus formation, are not yet sufficiently developed." That's why the dermatologist advises: apply lotion, wear headgear and avoid sunbathing during the most sun-intensive time.

In its current campaign, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) calls for more far-reaching UV protection measures by cities and municipalities, such as the creation of additional shaded areas. Sun protection, especially in the wake of the climate crisis, is a task for society as a whole, for every major city and every municipality, said BfS President Inge Paulini. More shaded areas could be created, for example, through more urban greenery or sun sails in schools. Sports or cultural events should increasingly be scheduled so that people do not have to spend time in the blazing sun during the midday hours.

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) had reported on Tuesday that the number of hospital treatments for skin cancer has increased sharply in the past 20 years. 2021 were accordingly 105 700 humans with the diagnosis skin cancer in the hospital treated - scarcely 75 per cent more than 2001.

According to health experts, rising life expectancy is one of the factors contributing to the trend. Lack of sun protection and awareness of the problem decades ago, as well as changes in leisure behavior, are also considered factors.

According to Destatis data, about 4100 people died in 2021, 55 percent more than in 2001 (2600 deaths). As with most cancers, older people are particularly affected: Half of those who died of skin cancer in 2021 were 80 years or older./bum/DP/zb