Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy

Shall the CBAM be expanded further downstream? Insights from assessing products along the automotive value chain

The EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) replaces the free allocation in the EU ETS 1 as the main carbon leakage instrument. The study discusses the potential expansion of the CBAM to downstream products. Using the example of products from the automotive value chain (wheels, brakes, crankshafts, forged and flat-rolled primary products), it shows that the CO₂ costs vary greatly depending...read more

Air, Transport

HBEFA Traffic Situations

Application guidelines

The HBEFA (Handbook for Emission Factors in Road Transport) is an IT application that provides emission factors (EF) for greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and final energy consumption factors for all relevant vehicle categories in road transport. The emission factors can be differentiated in the HBEFA according to "traffic situations" (VS). A primary goal of the HBEFA is to enable the standardizat...read more

Chemicals

Evaluation and implementation of statistical methods to assess effects in count data

As part of its statutory duties in the field of chemical safety, the German Environment Agency (UBA) is responsible for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals. This risk assessment is based on data from standardised ecotoxicological laboratory and field tests, which are generally described in Test Guidelines (TGs) published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEC...read more

Climate | Energy

Recommendations for the European Climate Resilience and Risk Management Framework

Climate change is already impacting all regions of Europe, posing complex challenges for human well-being, ecosystems, and the economy. Even though significant progress has been made over the past years, the forthcoming European Climate Resilience and Risk Management Framework (ECRRMF) must take a more ambitious approach to ensure resilience and preparedness across Europe by 2050.This scientific o...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Improving the German Climate Adaptation Strategy

Final report of the project “Network of Authorities for Climate Change and Adaptation- Methods to Support and Improve he German Climate Adaptation Strategy”

The German Adaptation Strategy (DAS) provides the basis for climate adaptation concepts and measure developments in Germany. The regular further development of the DAS offers crucial opportunities to incorporate new scientific findings and to optimize approaches and procedures. The report presents the results of a research project that identified potential for further development of the DAS based...read more

Economy | Consumption

Future city centre: Sustainable offers as the key to revitalisation

Guidelines for action

City centres as places of commercial consumption are facing new challenges, not only due to the growing impact of online retail. At the same time, urgently needed approaches to sustainable lifestyles remain confined to niches. This guide demonstrates how city centres can be revitalised while simultaneously becoming vibrant and future-proof spaces for sustainable consumption.Using practical example...read more

Air

Determination of emission factors and emissions in 2020 and 2030 for oil- and gas-fired combustion plants not requiring a permit in the scope of the EU Directive on medium combustion plants

Emission measurements of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, total organic carbon, methane, and (for oil-firing plants) the smoke number were carried out at 100 medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input between 1 MW and 10 MW. For Germany, emission factors and the emissions in 2020 were calculated, the emissions in 2030 werde estimated in two scenarios. Additionally, be...read more

Chemicals, Soil | Land

Correctly assessing the performance and threats of microorganisms in agricultural soils – identifying meaningful endpoints under field-relevant pesticide, biocide and pharmaceutical exposure

The aim of the MICROSOIL project was to identify meaningful endpoints for assessing the effects of plant protection products, veterinary pharmaceuticals and biocides on microorganisms in agricultural soils.The current risk assessment for plant protection products (PPPs) considers the effects of PPPs on nitrogen turnover by microorganisms in test soils according to the OECD 216 testguideline. Howev...read more