Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy, Transport, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Sustainable mobility concept EURO 2024

The study "Sustainable mobility concept EURO 2024" deals with the promotion of sustainable mobility in the context of the European Football Championship 2024 (EURO 2024) in Germany.  The transportation sector is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. For that reason, it is crucial to promote sustainable mobility as part of the fight against climate change. For major sports events suc...read more

Climate | Energy

Introduction of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the EU

The EU will introduce a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) on October 1, 2023. The main idea is to apply the same carbon price to imported emission-intensive goods as if they had been produced under EU carbon pricing rules (EU ETS). This is intended to prevent the relocation of domestic industry, which has to bear rising CO2 costs within the EU ETS, to countries without comparable carbon pr...read more

Economy | Consumption, Waste | Resources

Ensuring a secure AND sustainable supply of critical raw materials

Recommendations on how to take forward the EU Commission's proposal for a Critical Raw Materials Act

With the overall objective of ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, the European Commission has proposed a new regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act. This scientific opinion paper provides recommendations to EU policy makers on how to further develop this proposal from an environmental perspective.read more

Climate | Energy, Waste | Resources, Health, Transport, Soil | Land, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Protecting the Environment and Climate – Creating Living Space – Improving Quality of Life

We are facing an enormous challenge: the climate crisis and scarcity of resources require a consistent paradigm shift in housing construction and urban development. Quality of life, health and aesthetics must be combined with environmental, resource and climate protection. This position paper of the German Environment Agency and the Commission for Sustainable Building (KNBau) at the German Environ...read more

Air

Satellite-based Emission Verification

Pilot study

Satellites that measure the chemical composition of the atmosphere are becoming more accurate and numerous, providing a unique opportunity to independently monitor emissions for large geographical regions in a consistent way. This report elaborates the development of a software tool which is able to process satellite observation data and estimate NOx emissions from it for a pre-defined area. The t...read more

Climate | Energy

Commission Proposal for an EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework - Is the proposed delegation of power in line with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU?

In November 2022, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a regulation for a Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF).This proposal includes various provisions that would empower the Commission to adopt delegated acts. Delegated acts are intended to specify a number of provisions of the regulation.This report examines whether the proposed provisions on delegation are in line with A...read more

Water

Water Framework Directive - The Status of German Waters in 2021

Progress and Challenges

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) calls for the protection of surface and groundwater. For this purpose, the ten river basin communities in Germany draw up management plans and programmes of measures every six years. The German Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection have evaluated these reports and present the...read more

Climate | Energy

Submission under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol 2023

National Inventory Report for the German Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990 – 2021

As a Party to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (⁠UNFCCC⁠), since 1994 Germany has been obliged to prepare, publish and regularly update national emission inventories of greenhouse gases. Pursuant to Decision 24/CP.19, all Parties listed in ANNEX I of the ⁠UNFCCC⁠ are required to prepare and submit annual National Inventory Reports (NIRs) containing detailed and complete information o...read more