I. Name and address of the person responsible
The German Environment Agency, represented by the President of the German Environment Agency, is responsible within the meaning of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Federal Data Protection Act (GDPR) and other data protection regulations:
German Environment Agency
Präsidialbereich / Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Internet
Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone: +49-340-2103-2416
E-mail: buergerservice@uba.de
www.umweltbundesamt.de
II. Name and address of the data privacy officer
The German Environment Agency's data privacy officer is available to answer your questions and provide you with information on the subject of data protection. He is also the contact person for the enforcement of your rights as a party concerned:
Mr. Udo Langhoff
German Environment Agency
Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Phone: +49-30-8903-5141
e-mail: udo.langhoff@uba.de
III. General information on data processing
Scope of the processing of personal data
We only process personal data of users of our website if this is necessary to provide a functional website as well as our contents and services (such as the dispatch of a newsletter or an ordered publication). The processing of our users' personal data takes place regularly only with their consent. An exception applies in those cases where the processing of the data is permitted by law.
Unless otherwise stated in this data protection declaration in individual cases, your data will not be passed on to third parties. Your data will not be processed or used for consulting, advertising or market research purposes. The data stored in the website's editorial system can only be viewed by the German Environment Agency's Internet editorial staff and the external service provider for the technical operation of the website (see imprint), with whom a data protection and confidentiality agreement has been concluded.
All information you send to the German Environment Agency using the online forms on this website is transmitted in encrypted form via a "Secure Socket Layer" (SSL) connection. Your personal data cannot be read by unauthorized persons during transmission on the Internet.
Legal basis for the processing of personal data
The legal basis for the processing of personal data is the consent of the data subject pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or one of the following legal provisions:
In the processing of personal data required for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR serves as the legal basis. This also applies to processing operations that are necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures.
Insofar as the processing of personal data is necessary to fulfil a legal obligation to which we are subject, this obligation serves as the legal basis in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c GDPR.
If processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in us, Art. 6 (1) (e) GDPR serves as the legal basis. The legal basis for operating our website is Art. 6 (1) (e) GDPR in conjunction with the UBA Establishment Act as well as Art. 3 of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and Art. 3 of the eGovG.
Data erasure and storage time
The personal data will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose of storage ceases to apply, i.e. a publication ordered has been sent out or a newsletter subscription cancelled.
Furthermore, data may be stored if this has been provided for by the European or national legislator in EU regulations, laws or other provisions to which the person responsible is subject. The data will also be blocked or deleted if a storage period prescribed by the aforementioned standards expires, unless there is a need for further storage of the data for the conclusion or fulfilment of a contract.
IV. Provision of the website and creation of log files
Description and scope of data processing
Every time you visit our website, our system automatically collects data and information from the computer system of the calling computer.
The following data is collected:
- Information about the browser type and version used
- The user's operating system
- The IP address of the user
- Date and time of access
- Websites from which the user's system reaches our website
- Websites accessed by the user's system via our website
- Name of the file retrieved
- Volume of data transmitted
- Notification whether the request was successful
The data is also stored in the log files of our system. This data is not stored together with other personal data of the user.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the temporary storage of data and log files is Art. 6 (1) e) GDPR in conjunction with the UBA Establishment Act as well as Art. 3 BDSG and Art. 3 eGovG.
Purpose of data processing
The temporary storage of the IP address by the system is necessary to enable the website to be delivered to the user's computer. For this the IP address of the user must remain stored for the duration of the session.
The storage in log files is carried out in order to ensure the functionality of the website and thus to fulfil the task according to Art. 6 Para. 1 e) in conjunction with the UBA Establishment Act as well as Art. 3 BDSG and Art. 3 eGovG.
This data from the log file is not combined with any other stored data, as may arise when other offers are made in connection with the provision of personal data. A direct reference of the IP number from the log file to your person is not possible and is excluded. The IP address is only evaluated in the event of attacks on the German Environment Agency's Internet infrastructure, offences against morality and other illegal activities in connection with the use of the Internet offer. A conclusion from the IP number to your person is only possible through your dial-in provider through a public prosecutor's investigation.
Duration of storage
The data will be deleted as soon as they are no longer necessary to achieve the purpose for which they were collected. In the case of the collection of data for the provision of the website, this is the case when the respective session has ended.
If the data is stored in log files, this is the case after 14 days at the latest. Further storage is possible. In this case the IP addresses of the users (as far as possible for the purpose) are deleted or alienated, so that an assignment of the calling client is no longer possible.
Possibility of objection and elimination
The collection of data for the provision of the website and the storage of data in log files is absolutely necessary for the operation of the website.
V. a) Newsletter (incl. press distribution list) - valid up until 12th of January 2026
Description and scope of data processing
You can subscribe to free newsletters on our website at https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/service/newsletter. The data entered by you during registration will be transmitted to us from the input mask.
In addition, the following data is collected upon registration:
- IP address of the calling computer
- Date and time of registration
With your registration you agree to the processing of the data, reference is made to this data protection declaration.
In connection with data processing for the dispatch of newsletters, no data is passed on to third parties. The data will be used exclusively for sending the newsletter.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the processing of the data after your registration for the newsletter is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
Purpose of data processing
The purpose of collecting your e-mail address is to send you the newsletter.
The collection of other personal data as part of the registration process serves to prevent misuse of the services or the e-mail address used.
Duration of storage
Your e-mail address (and, if given, your first name, surname and title) will be stored as long as your subscription to the newsletter is active.
The IP address and the date and time of registration are usually deleted after a period of seven days.
Possibility of objection and elimination
You can cancel your subscription to newsletters at any time. For this purpose there is a corresponding link in every newsletter.
If you cancel a subscription, for example to a newsletter or press releases, all your personal data will be deleted from our database.
V. b) Newsletter (incl. press distribution list) - Change in Newsletter Distribution as of 13 January 2026
As of 13 January 2026, the distribution of the newsletters will be handled by the GDPR-compliant email service provider Brevo (Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Str. 126, 10179 Berlin). The provider acts on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA) and is responsible for sending newsletters, managing subscriber lists, and verifying new subscriptions through a double opt-in procedure.
In the course of this transition, the existing subscriber data previously managed in the former newsletter system (Drupal 7) will be transferred to the new system at Brevo. Only the data necessary for sending the newsletters (email address, salutation, name, and subscribed distribution lists) will be transmitted. No additional or technical log data will be migrated. The transfer will be encrypted and carried out under the supervision of the Umweltbundesamt in full compliance with Art. 28 GDPR.
The double opt-in confirmations stored in the previous Drupal 7 system will be retained for documentation and verification purposes and will remain exclusively on the UBA servers. These data will not be processed by Brevo or any third party and serve solely as proof of the user’s consent in accordance with data protection regulations.
Description and Scope of the New Data Processing
When subscribing to a newsletter, the data provided by users (email address, optionally salutation and name, and selected mailing lists) are transmitted from the website (Drupal 10) via a secure interface to Brevo’s system. These data are not stored in the CMS itself.
To verify that the subscription request originates from the owner of the specified email address, a confirmation email containing a verification link is sent from Brevo’s system (double opt-in procedure). The subscription becomes active only after the link has been confirmed. Addresses that are not confirmed within 30 days are automatically deleted.
All data are processed solely on Brevo’s servers. For evidentiary purposes, transactional logs are stored for a maximum of 24 months. No additional storage takes place within the CMS or on UBA servers.
Legal Basis for Processing
The processing of data is based on Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR, reflecting the user’s consent to receive newsletters. To comply with Art. 7 (1) GDPR, subscription details (email address, timestamp, and double opt-in confirmation) are documented for verification of consent.
Processing by Brevo is carried out on the basis of Art. 28 GDPR under a data processing agreement between Brevo and the German Environment Agency.
Purpose of Data Processing
Personal data are processed exclusively for the purpose of distributing the subscribed newsletters, managing subscription preferences, and performing internal statistical evaluations to improve the information service (e.g. number of active subscribers). The data are not shared with third parties or used for any other purpose.
Duration of Storage
Data are stored for the duration of the active subscription. Data from users who have unsubscribed or withdrawn their consent are initially placed on a blocklist to prevent further mailings. These blocked entries are automatically deleted after 24 months of inactivity.
Transaction logs from the double opt-in process are also retained for up to 24 months. The double opt-in records of the old Drupal 7-System are stored on UBA servers for documentation purposes will be retained in accordance with statutory retention periods and deleted once these periods expire, unless legal obligations require longer retention.
Right to Object and Deletion Options
Subscribers may withdraw their consent to receive newsletters at any time with future effect. This can be done via the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter or through Brevo’s profile update form.
Alternatively, users may send their request to newsletter@umweltbundesamt.de. After withdrawal, the user’s email address will be blocked for newsletter distribution and subsequently deleted in accordance with the retention rules outlined above.
VI. Ordering Publications
Description and scope of data processing
At https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/publications you can order (if available) printed publications or games.
In addition to the data you have entered, the following data will be collected during registration:
- IP address of the calling computer
- Date and time of registration
By sending the order you agree to the processing of your data. Some of the shipping is carried out by the Citizen Service of the German Environment Agency, but in most cases by an external service provider, the company GVP Gemeinnützige Werkstätten Bonn. For this purpose, the personal data collected with your order will be handed over to GVP solely for the purpose of dispatch.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for processing the data after your order is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
Purpose of data processing
The collection of your postal address serves to deliver the order. The e-mail address is used for possible inquiries and the delivery of an order confirmation e-mail.
Duration of storage
The order data will be automatically deleted from the website's editorial system for 4 weeks in the event of transmission errors and enquiries.
Possibility of objection and elimination
The user has the possibility to revoke his consent to the processing of personal data at any time. Please contact our data protection officer. In such a case, your order cannot be shipped - if not yet completed. All personal data stored in the course of the order will be deleted in this case.
VII. Contact forms "Ask UBA" and "Press Contact" as well as e-mail contact
Description and scope of data processing
Two contact forms are available on our website which can be used for making electronic contact: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/press/press-contact for inquiries from journalists and https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/service/ask-uba for other inquiries. If you take advantage of this option, the data you enter in the input mask will be sent by e-mail to the German Environment Agency (Press Office or Citizen Service) and stored in the editorial system of the UBA website.
At the time the message is sent, the following data is also stored:
- The IP address of the user
- Date and time of the request
By sending your request you agree to the processing of the data.
Alternatively, you can contact us by e-mail: for media inquiries to pressestelle@uba.de, for other inquiries to buergerservice@uba.de. In this case, your personal data transmitted with the e-mail will be stored.
In this context, no data will be passed on to third parties without your separate consent. The data will be used exclusively for the processing of the conversation in the Press Office or in the Citizen Service of the German Environment Agency.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for processing data submitted via the contact form is Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR.
The legal basis for processing data submitted via email is Art. 6 (1) (e) GDPR in conjunction with the Federal Environment Agency Establishment Act (UBA-Errichtungsgesetz), Art. 3 of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), and Art. 3 of the eGovG.
Purpose of data processing
The processing of the personal data from the input mask serves us only for the treatment of the establishment of contact. In the event of contact by e-mail, this also constitutes the necessary legitimate interest in the processing of the data.
The other personal data processed during the sending process serve to prevent misuse of the contact form and to ensure the security of our information technology systems.
Duration of storage
The personal data collected via the contact form during the sending process will be automatically deleted from the editorial system of the UBA website for 4 weeks in the event of transmission errors and enquiries.
The IP addresses stored by the anti-spam module for detecting attacks are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Your requests and our answers are stored in electronic files of the German Environment Agency in accordance with the guidelines for the processing and administration of documents in federal ministries. The storage period is up to eleven years.
Possibility of objection and elimination
You have the possibility to revoke your consent to the processing of your personal data at any time. Please contact our data protection officer. In such a case, the conversation cannot be continued. All personal data stored in the course of contacting us will be deleted in this case.
Further information on communication by e-mail
Communication by e-mail can have security gaps. Emails sent to employees of the German Environment Agency can be stopped and read by experienced Internet users. If the German Environment Agency receives an e-mail from you (e.g. via the contact form), it is assumed that we are also entitled to reply by e-mail to this e-mail address. Otherwise we ask you to consider another way of communication (e.g. by post).
Caution with questionable e-mails: Fraudsters repeatedly try to install malware (e.g. viruses and Trojan horses) on foreign PCs via attachments or links in e-mails - by fomenting fears with content such as unpaid invoices or attracting attention with dramatic messages. Mistrust emails with lurid subject lines, dubious content or questionable origin and delete them immediately. Never open attachments or links in such emails. As a general rule, the German Environment Agency never sends files with the suffix".exe″ or".com″ attached. Please do not open such files and inform us best by telephone about such an e-mail. The German Environment Agency will never ask you to send us sensitive data such as bank details or passwords by e-mail or telephone.
VIII. Form “Helpful hints about our website?”
Description and scope of data processing
The online form for submitting suggestions for improvement to the website (https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/helpful-hints-about-our-website) deliberately does not request any personal data. The feedback is anonymous; there is no feedback from the German Environment Agency. If you have a question and would like to submit your contact details for an answer, please use one of the two contact forms or contact us by e-mail (see above).
At the time the message is sent, the following data is stored in addition to your entries:
- The IP address of the user
- Date and time of entry
By submitting the form you agree to the processing of the transmitted data.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
Purpose of data processing
The suggestions for improvement are evaluated by the German Environment Agency's Internet editorial staff to improve and further develop the website. For this purpose, they may also be passed on to the service provider commissioned to operate the UBA website in technical matters (see imprint).
Duration of storage
The data are used for long-term monitoring and are deleted without any specific time limit. The IP addresses stored by the anti-spam module ("mathematical question") for detecting attacks are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Possibility of objection and elimination
This is not necessary because personal data is not collected or is deleted after 24 hours.
IX. Further forms (e.g. registration forms for events, surveys and votes)
Description and scope of data processing
Changing forms on the website of the German Environment Agency are offered, for example, for registration for events or for surveys and votes.
At the time the message is sent, the following data is stored in addition to the data you have entered:
- The IP address of the user
- Date and time of entry
By submitting the form you agree to the processing of the transmitted data.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR.
Purpose of data processing
The data transmitted via the registration form will be used for processing the event. If they are to be published in a list of participants, separate consent will be obtained in the form.
The purpose of surveys and votes results from the respective question.
Duration of storage
The IP addresses stored by the anti-spam module ("mathematical question") for detecting attacks are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
Further data will be deleted from the editorial system of the UBA website at the end of the event, voting or survey.
Possibility of objection and elimination
You have the possibility to revoke your consent to the processing of your personal data at any time. Please contact our data protection officer. All personal data stored in the course of sending the form will be deleted in this case.
X. “Rate as helpful" function
Description and scope of data processing
On many sub-pages of our website you have the possibility to rate the content of this page as helpful by clicking on the button "as helpful". Your IP address will be saved.
Legal basis for data processing
The legal basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.
Purpose of data processing
On the one hand, this function serves to draw our users' attention to particularly helpful information. On the other hand, your evaluation helps us to continuously improve our website. Saving the IP address is necessary to prevent misuse of this function. Robots that automatically operate the function over and over again and thus falsify the result can be identified and excluded.
Duration of storage
The IP addresses are deleted after 24 hours.
XI. Videos
Videos from the video platform Youtube of the provider Google are integrated on the website of the German Environment Agency. To protect your data, only thumbnails are displayed at first. Only if you agree, a connection to YouTube is established and the video is loaded and played.
In the privacy policy of google you will find further information about the storage of data. It also describes settings you can use to manage your privacy on the Google services in your Google Account. We would like to point out at this point that the terms of use of the Youtube service and its operators are not subject to the control of the German Environment Agency.
If you agree in our query that all videos are generally loaded immediately, a cookie must be stored to save this data protection setting. You will find further information on this in the chapter "Use of cookies" above in this data protection declaration.
XII. Map services
Maps based on the OpenStreetMap map service are available on some subpages of the German Environment Agency website. This is an external service of the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF, United Kingdom). We would like to point out that when you visit these subpages, personal data (browser fine-print, IP address) may be transmitted and cookies may be set on your computer. For more information, please see OSMF's Privacy Notice and OSMF's Privacy FAQ. We would like to point out at this point that the terms of use of the OpenStreetMap service and its operators are not subject to the control of the German Environment Agency.
XIII. Web analysis by Matomo (formerly PIWIK)
Scope of the processing of personal data
We use the open-source software tool Matomo (formerly PIWIK) on our website to collect information for the continuous improvement of our website using web statistics. The software evaluates the web server's log files. No personal data is collected or stored. And there is no access to end-user devices unless the user requests specific functions that require the setting of technically necessary cookies (see next section).
