Press | Umweltbundesamt

Anyone looking to escape the summer heat can do so in one of Germany’s many (almost) pristine bathing waters. According to the German Environment Agency (UBA), bathing water quality in Germany remained consistently high in 2024 – just as in previous years. read more

Factoring in the environmental costs of fossil fuels—such as through CO₂ pricing—drives up the cost of petrol, oil and gas. A new study commissioned by the German Environment Agency (UBA) explores how climate and environmental protection policy can be both ambitious and socially fair. Fair burden-sharing is a key pillar of socially just environmental policy. read more

Around 60 percent of all biodiversity on Earth is found in the soil. Soil organisms ensure fertile soil and clean drinking water, build up humus and break down pollutants. And yet, there is often a lack of information on the actual condition of soil organisms in Germany. read more

Climate change can have not only devastating physical consequences for people and the environment, but can also have a significant impact on the human psyche. For example, extreme weather events can trigger post-traumatic stress disorders, while concern over our livelihoods can lead to anxiety about the future and depression. read more

In den Sommern 2023 und 2024 gab es jeweils etwa 3.000 hitzebedingte Todesfälle in Deutschland. Betroffen waren vor allem Menschen über 75 Jahre mit Vorerkrankungen wie Demenz, Herz-Kreislauf- oder Lungenerkrankungen. Eine neue Studie des UBA zeigt jetzt eine neue Berechnungsgrundlage, mit der sich die durch Hitze bedingten Todesfälle besser berechnen lassen. read more

Even at the concentrations measured in the livers of wild fish, severe symptoms such as blood clotting disorders, bleeding and anaemia occurred. read more

TFA belongs to the group of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). German authorities demand new hazard classification of the substance considered toxic for reproduction and harmful to the environment. read more

The 2025 German Prize for Nature Writing is to be awarded to Franziska Füchsl. Elgin Hertel and Laura Vogt are each to receive a scholarship to attend the Art and Nature Foundation’s 2025 Nature Writing Seminar, south of Munich. The award ceremony will be held as part of the international literaturfestival berlin on Sept. 17, at 6 pm on the Small Stage of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. read more