Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Chemicals

Persistent degradation products of halogenated refrigerants and blowing agents in the environment: type, environmental concentrations, and fate with particular regard to new halogenated substitutes with low global warming potential

Climate-impacting refrigerants and blowing agents are often replaced by halogenated substances which, despite their low global warming potential, are not unproblematic for the environment. The study examines quantities used and emissions today and in the future as well as degradation pathways and products. An environmentally relevant degradation product is the persistent trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)...read more

Climate | Energy

The Challenges of Assessing “Collective Progress”

Design Options for an effective Global Stocktake process under the UNFCCC

The Paris Agreement combines collective goals with individual countries’ contributions. This hybrid approach does not guarantee that the individual contributions add up to what is required to meet the collective goals. The Paris Agreement therefore established the Global Stocktake. Its task is to “assess collective progress” towards achieving the long-term goals of the agreement as of 2023 and eve...read more

Air

Air quality 2020

Preliminary evaluation

The publication describes the preliminary status of German air quality in 2020. Regarding PM (particulate matter) the reduction of pollution has continued. Consistently to this development, there are hardly any exceedances of the EU annul limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). And there was less ozone pollution than in both previous years. The second part of the reports deals with the influence o...read more

Chemicals

Advancing REACH – The Restriction Procedure

The restriction process is a central instrument of ⁠REACH⁠ to regulate risks of substances by means of a restriction or prohibition for certain concentration ranges and uses. This project analysed the current implementation of the process based on a literature review and case studies with a focus on the workload for authorities, the duration of the procedure and the role oft he commi...read more

Water

Development of selected indicators and assessment approaches regarding the marine environment in the context of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Part B: Evaluation of the HELCOM zooplankton core indicator ’Zooplankton Mean Size and Total Stock (MSTS)’ along a salinity gradient in the western Baltic Sea

The study operationalized the HELCOM core indicator “Zooplankton mean size and total stock” (MSTS) in the Western Baltic Sea. The indicator is also used under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive to assess food webs and pelagic habitats. On the basis of a monthly data collection 2015-2016 in Kiel Bay, Bay of Mecklenburg, Arkona and Bornholm Basin it was investigated whether, on the basis of the...read more

Climate | Energy

Implications of Paris Agreement on the national emissions reduction efforts

The Paris Agreement (PA) has set a more ambitious target for limiting global warming compared to the pre-industrial level. Compared to the architecture of the Kyoto Protocol, the PA also sets stricter but voluntary targets for greenhouse gas emissions limitation in the period after 2020 and aims at global greenhouse gas neutrality in the second half of the century at the latest. In this project, t...read more

Climate | Energy

Options for multilateral initiatives to close the global 2030 climate ambition and action gap – Policy field forest protection

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement requires increased global climate action, especially reduced deforestation and restoration of forests to protect and rebuild ecosystems carbon stocks. Based on a sound analysis of existing multilateral cooperation the paper presents five recommendations to increase climate ambition of the G20 countries in the respective policy field: increasing stakeholde...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption

Options for multilateral initiatives to close the global 2030 climate ambition and action gap - Policy field Sustainable Food Systems

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement requires increased global climate action for sustainable food systems, especially a reduction of food loss and waste and dietary shifts towards plant-based diets. Based on a sound analysis of existing multilateral cooperation this paper proposes four potential initiatives to increase climate ambition in the respective policy field: an international instit...read more