REACH, the European chemicals regulation, has made a positive impact in its first five years. The enterprises concerned have registered and submitted critical information to the European Chemicals Agency on some 5,500 chemicals. This will make it possible to continue to restrict the use of substances of very high concern in the future. “This clearly owes to the European chemicals regulation REACH;... read more
Renewable energy: Huge development potential in the Middle East and North Africa
“More wind and solar energy can support economic development in North Africa and the Middle East and also secure climate-neutral access to energy for its population,” explains Jochen Flasbarth, President of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). He and Morocco’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Fouad Douiri, opened a two-day international conference on renewable energy in the Middle East and Nor... read more
Emissions trading: Germany announces interim volumes of allocations for third trading period
Free certificates will no longer be issued to power plant operators for electricity production in the third trading period (2013-2020). This announcement comes from the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), where the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) is also located. Some 1.4 billion emission certificates distributed to 1,814 installations will be allocated free of charge in Germany between 2... read more
Less greenhouse gases with less nuclear energy
Greenhouse gas emissions levels dropped in Germany in 2011 once again, as current calculations by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) prove. Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane in particular continued to decline. The greater use of renewable energies has had a positive effect on the emissions development trend. In contrast, the level of fluorinated gases, or so-called F-gases, remained largel... read more
Emissions Trading: CO2 emissions fall in 2011 despite strong economy
At 450 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 1,640 power generation and industrial facilities required to participate in emissions trading in Germany emitted approximately one percent less climate-damaging CO2 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, CO2 emiss... read more
Water body type of the year: lowland sandy-clayey river
The environmental condition of many of Germany’s lowland rivers is perilous. Rivers like the Lippe, Ems, Aller, Alster, Trave, Elde or Spree are classified as lowland sandy-clayey rivers and have been named the 2012 ‘water body type of the year’. They require extensive improvements, for a mere 2 per cent of these river courses are ranked “good“, and 22 per cent even classify as “bad“. Only very fe... read more
Flasbarth says, “We need a green economy”
The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) sees excellent opportunities to renew the global economy in environmental protection. “Whereas it used to be seen as expensive and a damper to growth, environmental protection now has the potential to be the engine of prosperity in modern economies“, said UBA President Jochen Flasbarth upon publication of the annual Schwerpunkte 2012 report in Berlin. At unchan... read more
Healthy water from private wells
Nearly one per cent of the population in Germany relies on a private well for its drinking water. The Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) also sets quality standards for the drinking water in these very small water supplies, which are typically found in rural areas. A new Federal Environment Agency (UBA) publication on healthy drinking water from private wells has recommendations for operation and... read more
