You are in: Home > Climate Change - What's new
Last changed: 18/05/12
The Federal Environment Agency works on many different aspects of global climate change. The ”climate protection” area focuses on climate change and its impact on different systems and fields as well as the future development of international climate protection conventions (Climate Framework Convention, Kyoto Protocol).
Did you find what you were looking for? Have you got any questions, remarks, or something to add? We would be glad to receive your message.
More information on climate protection, emissions, and energy are on our related web pages, listed below right.
Some 1.4 billion emission allowances will be allocated free of charge in Germany from 2013 to 2020. These certificates will be distributed to 1,814 installations. The number of allowances allocated to a specific installation is an interim figure, as it is still under review by the European Commission and subject to being cut by a correction factor. Starting in 2013 power plant operators will no longer receive free certificates for electricity production.
…says Jochen Flasbarth, President of the UBA. The 2011 level of Germany’s nearly 917 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions is lower than the previous year. Current UBA calculations also reveal that the increased use of renewable energies has had a positive impact, especially on CO2 and methane emissions. The proportion of fluorinated gases remained largely stable, whereas nitrous oxide increased, due in part to the greater use of fertilizers.
“Germany has shown that Kyoto targets can be met. I trust that we can continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions successfully as we pursue efforts to increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energies“, said Jochen Flasbarth, President of the UBA. The new National Inventory Report states that an average of 295 million tonnes less carbon dioxide per year have been emitted to the atmosphere since 1990. That is a cut of almost 25 percent over the 1990 index year.
Intentional and targeted large-scale interventions in the climate system that aim to reduce global anthropogenic warming is known as geo-engineering. Some of the well-known examples of it are spreading sulphur aerosols into the atmosphere and ocean fertilisation. How viable are these options? The UBA has information on the risks, possible assessment criteria, legal frameworks, and issues some initial recommendations on how to address the issue. This new BMBF-funded study evaluates the use of geo-engineering and shows that any use of these technologies could potentially have global implications.
Emissions trading systems have been or are being established in many countries and regions around the world to curb climate-damaging emissions of greenhouse gases. Most of these systems include measures to safeguard the competitiveness of industries under an emissions cap. A study commissioned by UBA has examined and compared various approaches, with the aim of an early identification of potential barriers to the linking of emissions trading systems to a global carbon market.
In 2009 greenhouse gas emissions in Germany continued to fall, by 6.3 percent in comparison to the previous year. This is the largest decrease ever in Germany, and owes mainly to the economic crisis. Compared with 1990, GHG emissions fell even by 26.3 percent. According to preliminary calculations, emissions rose again in 2010, by 4.3 percent compared to 2009, but Germany’s overall volume of 960 million tonnes continued to undercut the Kyoto target value.
At 450 million tons of CO2 emissions, 1,640 power generation and industrial facilities required to participate in emissions trading in Germany emitted approximately one percent less in 2011 than in 2010. Despite a very strong economy and nuclear phase-out, the reduction of CO2 emissions has continued since 2008. According to preliminary calculations, emissions were especially reduced in the energy sector.
The cities of Stuttgart, Arnsberg and Wuppertal and the WOGENO housing cooperative in Munich are the winners of the Blauer Kompass 2011 contest. The prize is awarded to the best ideas of adaptation to climate change in Germany. It was conferred for first time on 12 December 2011 by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Environment Agency. Participants included 59 municipalities, businesses and associations.
The aviation sector participates in emissions trading in Europe as of January 2012. Airlines and business jet operators must surrender one emissions certificate for every tonne of carbon dioxide they produce. The airlines in the remit of Germany received notification in December about their allotted CO2 certificates. Companies now know how many of these emissions trading certificates are available to them free of charge until 2020. As expected, the European Court of Justice confirmed on 21/12/2011 that international airlines also have to participate in the emission trading.
Most industrialized countries and some developing countries have committed to Greenhouse gas mitigation pledges 2020 during Copenhagen Climate summit. A study on behalf of Federal Environment Agency shows: The European Union is able to achieve its 30% target by 2020 at manageable cost, even when implementing climate goals unilaterally.
While the UN climate summit in December 2009 in Copenhagen failed to produce an international agreement, the majority of industrialised countries and several developing countries have submitted targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions under the Copenhagen Accord. This study shows inter alia: These reduction targets are not yet sufficient to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
Where are the political turning points currently important for tackling climate change, both nationally and internationally? And how can Germany better adapt to climate change? The UBA provides answers to these questions in it's Concept for a Future Climate Policy.