Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) are awarding the Bundespreis Ecodesign for the second time. As the only Federal Government award for ecodesign, this prize goes to innovative products, services of ideas that are convincing in terms of design and eco-friendliness. The jury has nominated winners from among the... read more
A greenhouse gas-neutral Germany is (almost) possible
Can an industrialized country such as Germany avoid nearly all of its man-made greenhouse gas emissions? A new study by the Federal Environment Agency says clearly yes: „It is technically possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 100 per cent compared to 1990 levels – with technologies that are available today,“ says Jochen Flasbarth, President of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).... read more
IPCC submits report on climate change
Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier and Federal Minister of Education and Research Johanna Wanka consider the latest IPCC report on climate change to be a clear indication that climate change is advancing. Following the presentation of the IPCC report today in Stockholm Altmaier stated "the IPCC has shown the international community that ambitious climate action is crucial". Wanka also str... read more
Real energy savers now easier to recognise
Lamps which are launched on the market after 1 September 2013 must bear the new EU energy efficiency label. The label will help consumers to assess whether a product uses a lot or only a little electricity. Very economical LED lamps are labelled in energy efficiency classes A+ and A++. Jochen Flasbarth, President of the Federal Environment Agency, remarks, “Inefficient lighting continues to waste... read more
Better protection against air pollutants
How has air quality improved in Germany? Which pollutants in the air have either increased or decreased? Are limits on air pollutants appropriate? These are the issues which will be discussed by 150 experts at a conference in Dessau on 16-17 September in the framework of the European Year of Air. The conference will focus on air quality in cities and in regions with high population density. Compar... read more
Rethinking land use
Land use continues to be an unsolved environmental problem in Germany. Why? Businesses and residents are leaving urban areas and new shopping centres and single-family settlements are mushrooming on greenfield sites. The consequence – especially in many small and medium-sized towns – is urban sprawl, land consumption as well as an inner-city vacancy rate and depreciation. Many experts say that a s... read more
Not to be sniffed at: Stuffy air in schoolrooms and the home
Stuffy air in schools can have a direct impact on children’s health. Now at the beginning of the school year, after school buildings have been remediated or refurbished, is a time when contamination of school rooms may have occurred. Since schools and child care centres are croweded spaces with many people, the levels of carbon dioxide can also rise rapidly. This is why it is especially important... read more
Decentralised renewable energy supply is ok, self-sufficient, individual solutions are not
Decentralised energy systems which satisfy their own power demand without being connected to the grid are an option for cities and municipalities in a few isolated cases only. The electricity demand of industry and commerce in particular cannot be met with this approach. This is the conclusion drawn in a study by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) which develops a scenario of a future electricit... read more
