Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy

Submission under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol 2011

National Inventory Report for the German Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990 - 2009

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. In February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force. As a result, for the first time ever the international community of nations is required to implement binding action objectives and instruments f...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption

Avoiding Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases

Prospects for Phasing Out

Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) are 100 to 24,000 times more harmful to the climate than CO2. The contribution of fluorinated greenhouse gases to global warming is projected to triple from nearly 2% to around 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. This is revealed by global projections prepared for the Federal Environment Agency in a scenario where no new measures are taken....read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Important aspects of sinks for linking emission trading systems

This study by the Federal Environment Agency investigates the role of sinks and emissions from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) within existing and planned emissions trading systems. The harmonization of standards is an important aspect so that regional emission trading schemes form an effective and efficient international carbon market.Diese Studie des Umweltbundesamtes untersucht...read more

Climate | Energy

Restructuring electricity supply in Germany

The Federal Environment Agency believes a speedy phase-out of nuclear energy use as of 2017 is both feasible and compatible with the goals of climate protection1. The Federal Environment Agency recommends adoption of a tiered approach. Complete abandonment of nuclear energy starting 2017 would significantly reduce the dangers and risks associated with this source of energy, the social advantages o...read more

Chemicals, Water

Guidance for a harmonized Emission Scenario Document (ESD) on Ballast Water discharge

With ballast water in ships, marine organisms are transported around the globe and to environments on which they may have adverse effects (e.g. displacement or even elimination of indigenous species). In order to prevent this world-wide distribution, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved the ‘International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' ballast water and sedim...read more

Climate | Energy

Geoengineering - effective climate protection or megalomania?

Methods – statutory framework – environment policy demands

Climate protection strategies today basically pursue two approaches: Firstly, measures should be taken to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emisssions. Secondly, measures should be implemented that enable humans and the environment to adapt to unavoidable climate change. For some time, proposals for counteracting climate change through large-scale intervention in global ecological processes have...read more

Waste | Resources, Soil | Land

Consideration of natural attenuation in remediating contaminated sites

Position paper of the Ad hoc Subcommittee “Natural Attenuation” of the Contaminated Site Committee (ALA) of the Federal/State Working Group on Soil Protection (LABO), translation by order of the Federal Environment Agency. Upon the proposal submitted by its Standing Committee 5 (Contaminated Sites Committee – ALA) the Federal / State Working Group on Soil Protection (LABO) employed an ad hoc subco...read more

Waste | Resources, Soil | Land

Sustainable Prevention of Resource Conflicts

Case Study and Scenarios on Copper and Cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo has enormous economic potential thanks to its raw material wealth. However, since 1996 (if not before) DR Congo has been seen as a classic example of the linkage between the exploitation of raw materials and the financing of war. The UN Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources in DR Congo points out that the history of Congo since colonial...read more