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Last changed: 22/12/11
After receiving silver in the Best of Corporate Publishing Award (BCP) last summer, UBA has received another award for its annual report. The German-language version of “What matters 2011“ won bronze in the category ‘Annual Reports‘ in the second International Corporate Media Award (ICMA). "Everything is perfectly coordinated“ is the jury’s assessment. 241 publications from Germany and abroad entered the contest.
The way chemicals are produced and applied in the globalised world has long ceased to be a matter of national affairs. Since their damaging effects know no national borders these hazards can only be tackled at the global level. The best approach is an international strategy of more sustainable chemistry. UBA‘s new guide on sustainable chemistry explains how this could work in practice. The guide provides advice for optimising chemical products and processes for the sake of the environment.
The five people leading different lifestyles that are profiled in the brochure and which has now also been published in English illustrate that there are several ways to achieve a climate-neutral lifestyle. Read now about the “big points” of climate-conscious consumption.
Germany’s electricity supply could make a complete switch to renewable energies by 2050. The technology already available on the market could make this possible even today, but it requires that electricity be used and produced very efficiently. These are the results of a study done by the Federal Environment Agency.
What impact does agriculture have on soil, water, air, the climate, and biological diversity? You can find answers to this question in the key facts and figures presented in the brochure “Environment and Agriculture”, published in our series “Data on the Environment”. Graphs, maps and tables illustrate existing interrelationships and provide a basis for the debate about greater environmental protection in agriculture.
A study commissioned by UBA analyses the climate protection plans of the emerging economies with high levels of greenhouse gas emissions: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. The conclusion is that their successful implementation would reduce emissions considerably, thereby making the climate protection plans of these countries an important part of long-term, effective global climate protection.
Issue 04/2011 of “UMID: environment and human health ‑ information service" focuses on low emission zones (LEZ) in Germany. An article of the Federal Environment Agency explains legal bases, implementation and efficiency of LEZ. Articles from Berlin, Munich and from the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia report on their experience with LEZs and their effectiveness. Further articles provide information on the measurement and evaluation of odour emissions from building products for indoor usage, first results of the new internet portal “GrippeWeb” of the RKI and results of a workshop on risk communication relating to expansion of the electric energy transmission networks. UMID is published in German with English-language abstracts.
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.
Global environmental problems can only be solved through international cooperation, e.g. globally binding treaties, targets and measures. This will require lending stronger support to international environmental protection organisations. ”Ever since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 the scope of environmental protection has reached beyond national borders. A lot has been achieved in the meantime, but we are still far removed from worldwide sustainable development,“ declared UBA’s President, Jochen Flasbarth, upon publication of the What matters 2011 annual report. In addition to international environmental protection, other topics covered in the report include sustainable management of water as vital resource and environmental healthcare.
Many towns and cities have made efforts to design urban transport strategies that are more environmentally friendly. UBA‘s new Guide to reducing the impact of urban transport on the climate outlines which action plans make for successful climate protection schemes. The guide emphasises measures with high climate protection potential that can be decided on by municipal administrations.
The report ”Data on the Environment” is published every four years. It takes stock of the development of the state of the environment in Germany, highlights environmental improvements and shows where action is still needed.