climate change

What do people mean when they talk about the “1.5°C goal” in the context of climate change? What is the origin of this value and how is it quantified? What happens if we exceed it – is there any way back down below a global warming of 1.5°C? In this text, we look at the emergence of the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement and explain why we need to keep it within reach.

The seas and oceans, including the North Sea and Baltic Sea, are intensively used by humans. They provide food, energy, raw materials, transportation routes, and recreation. However, overuse is placing increasing pressure on fragile marine ecosystems. Sustainable solutions and ‘ecological guardrails’ are needed to balance human demands with marine protection.

In April 2024, the EU-funded CASRI project (Collaborative Action for Systemic, Actionable, and Transversal Sustainability Research and Innovation) was officially launched at the German Environment Agency (UBA) in Dessau.

As part of an in-house research project, UBA is working on the use and further development of an integrated assessment model (IAM) developed by the independent research institute IIASA. IAMs combine economic, social and ecological aspects for the development of climate action scenarios and are central to the IPCC process. The cooperation between UBA and IIASA is now official.

Ten environment agencies released "Building an Alliance – For a Sustainable, Resilient, and Just Future in Europe," with 36 recommendations for the 2025-2030 EU policy cycle. Highlighting urgent issues like climate resilience, circular economy and biodiversity, it calls for ambitious implementation of the European Green Deal, with agencies committed to supporting a just, sustainable future.

2023 Monitoring Report on the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change

Geoengineering, climate engineering, climate intervention or climate altering technologies - even if new terms are constantly being found, they do not change the fact that has been known for decades: climate modification approaches harbor major risks for environment and society.

Oceans and seas absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. With increased uptake of CO₂, the pH level of seawater decreases, making it more acidic. This chemical change affects the development of marine organisms. Indirectly, humans will also be affected, for example through the effects on commercially important species in fisheries and aquaculture.