Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Chemicals, Health

Carcinogenicity and Mutagenicity of Nanoparticles – Assessment of Current Knowledge as Basis for Regulation

Carcinogenicity studies with several types of respirable particles and fibres indicate a carcinogenic potential from inhalation and there is concern that the carcinogenic potency of nanomaterials is higher than for the corresponding micromaterials. In this research project, long term studies with nanomaterials were used to identify relevant indicators of toxicity of nanomaterials including possibl...read more

Chemicals

Substances of very high concern under REACH – an evaluation of uncertainties in the environmental risk assessment of endocrine active substances

The aim of the present project was to identify the most relevant factors increasing the uncertainty of the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of endocrine active substances as compared to baseline toxicants. The evaluation was supported by data on endocrine effects of six model substances on fish and aquatic invertebrates.read more

Climate | Energy, Air

Scenarios on the feasibility of emissions reductions consistent with 2°C stabilization

This report summarizes the results of the UFOPLAN project “Scenarios on the feasibility of emissions reduction scenarios consistent with 2°C stabilization” conducted by PIK and Ecofys. We use an integrated energy-economy-climate modeling system to examine how a further delay of cooperative action increases economic mitigation challenges.read more

Chemicals

Review and Enhancement of New Risk Assessment Concepts under REACH

In this project, the guidance documents should be verified using the example of potentially endocrine disrupting (ED) chemicals. Three substances were selected mainly based on in silico (2,4,6-tribromophenol), in vitro (benzanthrone) and in vivo data (benzophenone-2). In order to evaluate the potential for endocrine disruption, several additional in vitro tests and one in vivo test were performed...read more

Chemicals, Water

Understanding the exposure pathways of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFASs) via use of PFASs-containing products – risk estimation for man and environment

The contribution of outdoor jackets as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) regarding the environmental and human exposure in Germany and other member states of the European Union (EU) has been investigated. Following the development of robust and validated analytical methods for 24 different PFASs, a total of five impregnating agents and 16 different jackets were analyzed. Esti...read more

Economy | Consumption

Green Products in Germany 2014

Status Quo and Trends

Are green products being substituted for conventional products, or are they simply being used in parallel? Is the same trend being seen across all product segments? Does it apply to the big points of sustainable consumption? This report takes these questions as a point of departure from which to explore market developments in sustainable consumption overall in Germany, away from any isolated repor...read more

Climate | Energy

Options and Proposals for the International Governance of Geoengineering

The study has three main parts: After the introduction, section 4 explores whether and to what extent it is useful and feasible to have a single definition of geoengineering for governance purposes. section 5 analyses the existing governance of geoengineering in international law,with a brief overview of EU and German law. On this basis, section 6 develops specific regulatory options and proposals...read more

Air, Transport

An Aviation Carbon Offset Scheme (ACOS)

Version 3.0 - Update

This paper provides a concept for the design of the Aviation Carbon Offset Scheme (ACOS) and aims at overcoming the deadlock that has continued for many years between developed and developing countries, hindering an agreement on instruments addressing greenhouse gas emission of the aviation sectors. We discuss key design options of such a scheme, including which entity should be responsible for pu...read more