Umweltbundesamt
Dear readers,
What large supermarket chains offer in their assortment, what they advertise and how they refrigerate their goods is important with regard to environmental and climate protection. But how sustainable are the operations of the eight food retail companies with the highest turnover in Germany? Read more in this newsletter issue.
Wishing you an interesting read,
The Press Office of the German Environment Agency
| The big supermarket groups have a great influence on production conditions and consumer behaviour. Source: Olga Chernetskaya / Fotolia.com |
With their own organic brands, an expanding range of vegan products, more energy-efficient freezers, etc., German supermarkets have done a fair amount in recent years when it comes to sustainability. However, the potential for this is far from exhausted, as a recent UBA study shows. This study evaluates the environmental commitment of the eight food retailers with the highest turnover in Germany (ALDI Nord, ALDI Süd, EDEKA, Kaufland, Lidl, Netto Markendiscount, PENNY and REWE).
For example, animal products are advertised much more heavily than the more environmentally friendly plant-based alternatives. And particularly environmentally harmful products – such as goods imported by air – are still part of the range.
In addition to the trade sector, the UBA also sees a need for political action and recommends a policy mix of financial incentives and regulatory measures. For example, VAT rates for food should be adjusted according to ecological criteria, and minimum standards for the purchase of raw materials, such as soy for animal feed or palm oil, should be introduced.
The final report on the research project marks the starting point of the monitoring of developments and trends in environmental and climate protection concerning food retailing, with plans to continue this process in the coming years.
A flood alliance, “Tiny Forests” as a place for teaching about climate change adaptation and others – the winners of the national Blauer Kompass Award 2022 have been announced. The €25,000 in prize money is awarded to outstanding climate change adaptation projects in the areas of flood protection, agriculture, skilled crafts and trade, environmental education and rural development. read more
Ukraine, people fear injury and death every day because of the war with Russia. In Germany, aggressive Russian policies have led to an energy crisis. To save gas, the UBA recommends optimising the heating temperature. After all, the best energy is that which is not consumed at all. However, the heating should not be set too cold, or else there is a risk of mould. read more (in German)
Whether heat waves or heavy rain: Cities and smaller communities are increasingly feeling the consequences of climate change. With the newly launched online guide “Klimalotse” (Climate Pilot), municipalities can systematically identify their climate risks, plan adaptation measures and develop strategies. The guide is based on international standards for climate adaptation. read more (in German)
Well over a million personal CO₂ balances have been prepared in the last three years using the UBA CO₂ calculator. But how does the calculator calculate these balances? What are the data sources and assumptions behind it? And what has the greatest impact on the CO₂ balance of the users? Two new UBA reports provide information on this. read more (in German)
The Guide to the Procurement of Green Electricity, updated on behalf of the German Environment Agency, serves as a working aid for public tenders by the Federal Government, the States and municipalities. It provides a practical basis for the procurement of green electricity according to uniform criteria. According to an accompanying legal opinion, the public sector also has the option of purchasing regional green electricity. read more (in German)
According to the Federal Climate Protection Act, buildings are to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2045. Millions of properties need to be refurbished for the purpose of energy efficiency. Does the owner pay for this – or the tenants? What does a fair cost-benefit distribution look like? This is the subject of a research project involving the German Environment Agency. read more (in German)
The research project explores how carbon market approaches under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement can contribute to the transformational change required by these global agreements. The project names insights and recommendations for how to design and implement Article 6 rules and activities to promote transformational change through carbon markets. In this regard a definition of transformational...read more
In the AskREACH project, two Scandinavian companies have been given awards in the categories of SVHC Management and Supply Chain Communication, respectively. Thanks to the involvement of UBA, the AskREACH project is raising awareness throughout Europe about “substances of very high concern” (SVHCs) in articles. Two German companies are also among the finalists. read more (in German)
Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is a mobile and persistent substance that is primarily introduced into the water cycle through the degradation of various fluorochemicals and remains in the environment in the long term. TFA can be detected in many water bodies in relatively high concentrations with some regional hotspots. This background paper presents current data and estimates on sources, input pathway...read more
Endocrine active substances such as steroid hormones gain increasing focus in environmental research as they cause endocrine disruption in aquatic organisms exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations. Data about occurrence and fate of steroid hormones are scare. Based on the recently published method (FKZ 3715 67 413) the occurrence of 60 steroids in wastewater treatment plant effluents...read more
Environmental research is detecting ever more pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic environment as analytical methods become increasingly sensitive. The physicochemical properties of some active substances suggest an accumulation in sediment, suspended matter and biota. Hence, these matrices could be interesting alternative matrices for monitoring of pharmaceutical residues in surface waters. ...read more
Nicht-chemische Methoden sind wichtige Werkzeuge zur gebotenen Reduzierung des Biozideinsatzes. Mit dem Projekt werden Maßnahmen zur Förderung von biozidfreien Alternativen beschrieben. Dazu gehören Konzepte für spezifische App-Entwicklungen, die Analyse bestehender Umweltlabel hinsichtlich ihrer Vergabekriterien mit Biozidbezug. Eine Fallstudie zeigt das große Potenzial von Nützlingen zur Mini...read more
The GLI:X Green Logistics Indicators project has been established over several stages since 2016. Together with the province of Gauteng in South Africa, the project has succeeded in developing an indicator system for the measurability of green, socially responsible, and efficient freight logistics in the province in a cooperative dialog-oriented process. The aim of the present project was to bu...read more
In its two-day session early this week, the jury reviewed and evaluated 137 submissions in the project rooms of feldfünf e.V. in Berlin. After deliberations, the environmental and design experts nominated 28 projects for the German Ecodesign Award 2022. The ultimate winners of the award will be announced by Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke at the award ceremony on 5 December. read more
The repairing of electrical appliances is associated with numerous ecological, social and economic benefits. Nevertheless, it is still rare for defective products to be repaired. Transparent information, such as in the form of a repair index, could help to better educate consumers about the reparability of products, thereby resulting in more repairs. read more (in German)
This paper presents an initial outline of a policy approach called “EU front-runner approach”. It aims at installing a regulatory framework which enables a semi-automated, progressive adaptation of ecodesign minimum requirements for products. It builds on performance levels of the best products available on the market by aggregating information in a database. The application of the “EU front-ru...read more
Germany is an industrialised country with a strong production and export sector in the heart of Europe. However, German industry is dependent to varying degrees on imports of energy sources, raw materials and semi-finished products. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is having many consequences - from the break-up and rebuilding of previous supply chains to possible and already implemen...read more
Wind turbine rotor blades are made of fibre composites and have been disposed of in very different ways up to now. The German Environment Agency (UBA) now presents a comprehensive overview of the sustainable use and waste processing of rotor blades. read more
The coronavirus pandemic led to a slight decrease in packaging consumption in Germany in 2020, marking the first decline since 2009. Total packaging waste in 2020 was 18.8 million tonnes, or 0.7 per cent less than in 2019. Per capita, this is 1.7 kg less than the average 225.8 kg. read more
Manufacturers of certain types of packaging are required to participate in a “dual system” of waste collection, to ensure that packaging is collected, sorted and recycled. Since 2019, fees for this are also to be assessed according to how well a package is recyclable. The minimum standard on how to determine suitability for recycling has now been adapted to new developments in the packaging sector. read more (in German)
Innovative sorting technologies in scrap processing and aluminium recycling could save up to 290,000 tonnes of primary material and up to 90 per cent CO₂. This is shown by a new study by the German Environment Agency, which examined the potential for optimising recycling in order to provide a substitute for primary raw materials. read more (in German)
According to the German expert group report published on September 30, 2022, the most probable cause of the fish die-off in the River Oder is the rapid rise in salinity, which together with other factors led to the mass proliferation of a brackish water alga that is poisonous to fish. read more
In a first comprehensive international screening on microplastics in the Danube catchment area, microplastics were detected in all samples. Polyethylene was the predominant and consistently detectable polymer, with maximum levels of up to 22.24 µg/mg suspended solids. Moreover, polystyrene, styrene-butadiene rubber and polypropylene were found as well. read more (in German)
Microplastics are usually associated with marine pollution. But scientific studies are increasingly pointing to soils being a major sink for plastic debris. On October 19-20, 2022 the German Environment Agency (UBA) will hold an international (hybrid-)conference in Berlin to shed new light on the impact of plastic pollution on soils. read more
The European CLP Regulation as well as the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) only provide criteria for aquatic toxicity with regard to environmental hazards. Legal requirements for the use of terrestrial toxicity data are missing, although data from substance regulations (pesticides, pharmaceuticals, biocides or REACH chemicals) are available. The goal was to deve...read more
Agricultural production – particularly the production of animal-based food – causes significant environmental and climate damage, the consequential costs of which are not currently reflected in the prices. In order to make agriculture more climate and environmentally friendly, a mix of different measures will be needed. read more (in German)
Humanity is facing a period of multiple crises. These crises pose emotional burdens for individuals that however, often remain neglected in public discourse. However a sustainability transformation must address the inner crises in the same way as it requires finding solutions to the outer situation. In this event on 17 october, we therefore create a space to reflect and deal with our inner worlds. read more
The German Environment Agency (UBA) together with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) kindly invite you to attend the 3rd Sustainability Transformation Conference on October 25, 2022, 9:15 am – 4:00 pm CET. read more
A new cooperation agreement between the Merseburg University of Applied Sciences and the German Environment Agency lays the foundation for their cooperation in the fields of the environment and digitalisation. The occasion and central element of this partnership is the establishment of the National Centre for Environmental and Nature Conservation Information (umwelt.info). read more
Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency)
Präsidialbereich / Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Internet; Pressesprecher
Wörlitzer Platz 1
06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
Phone: +49(0) 340 2103-2416
Fax: +49(0) 340 2103-2285
Email: buergerservice@uba.de
Editor:
Corinne Meunier
corinne.meunier@uba.de
Six times a year our Newsletter „UBA aktuell“ provides information about the latest activities and work of the German Environment Agency (UBA).
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The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
