Press | Umweltbundesamt

Some of Europe’s population have alarmingly high levels of exposure to pollutants. This is the conclusion of the European human biomonitoring initiative HBM4EU, coordinated by UBA. Plasticisers were detected in all children and adolescents examined, and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are also present in human blood in quantities that are in some cases too high. read more

Temporary play streets, street sponsors, a cargo cycle festival or a “walking machine parade” are among the diverse actions promoting more sustainable mobility which cities, municipalities and nonmunicipal actors such as businesses, associations and schools registered in the competition. Fürstenfeldbruck, Karlsruhe, Kassel and Leipzig are winners of national prize for European Mobility Week. read more

The recipients of the tandem scholarship "The Landscape as a Place of Transformation" as part of the OSTEN Festival have been selected. During their two-month stay, the artists will work on projects together with experts from the UBA and contemporary witnesses from Bitterfeld-Wolfen. They will present their results at the "OSTEN" festival in Bitterfeld-Wolfen from 1 - 17 July 2022. read more

Switching to climate-friendly refrigeration and air conditioning holds tremendous greenhouse gas emissions savings potential, but the switch to natural refrigerants poses a great challenge for many businesses. The new initiative “Climate-friendly Cooling and Air-Conditioning with Natural Refrigerants” brings together relevant players in industry. read more

85 percent of the young people surveyed say environmental protection and climate action are important, thus ranking the topic among the four most important to young people in Germany. These are the findings of the representative survey “Zukunft? Jugend fragen! – 2021”. The grand challenges in preserving our essential life support systems are a matter of concern to young people. read more

The residues of pharmaceutical drugs, plant protection products, biocides and other chemicals can have a negative impact on water bodies and drinking water quality, even in low concentrations. As part of the Federal Government's Trace Substance Strategy, interest groups are currently developing voluntary measures at roundtables to reduce the burden on the environment. read more

World Water Day 2022: Some 70 percent of drinking water in Germany is extracted from groundwater and spring water. Our ecosystems and forests in particular depend on a sufficient amount of groundwater. Contamination by nitrate or pesticides, climate change and water abstraction are endangering the quality and quantity of this vital resource. read more

After a significant decline in the previous year, greenhouse gas emissions in Germany are on the rise again. Some 762 million tonnes of greenhouse gases were released in 2021 – just over 33 million tonnes, or 4.5 percent more than in 2020. Overall, emissions in Germany have fallen by 38.7 percent since 1990. The increase in 2021 is particularly noticeable in the energy sector. read more