Compliance is key to effective environmental law. Serious offences of environmental law are therefore sanctioned as an administrative offence with an administrative fine or even as a criminal offence punishable by a fine or imprisonment. These environmental protection regulations are important to deter potential perpetrators. read more
Participation rights play a major role in environmental protection. The public can add weight to environmental protection and nature conservation as subjects of public interest and serve as a counterweight to economic interests. This brings more balance to government decision-making. read more
A uniform Environmental Code shall harmonise and simplify the host of individual environmental laws. read more
The Environmental Information Act (Umweltinformationsgesetz, UIG) sets the framework for free access to environmental information and regulates the active dissemination of information of this kind. The federal Act entered into force on 14 February 2005 and transposes the Environmental Information Directive 2003/4/EC into German law.The Länder (German states) have enacted their own laws on freedom... read more
Environmental issues and goals must be integrated into the substantive requirements of specific law to strengthen environmental protection. The German Environment Agency explores ways to reinforce environmental protection in specific law and makes proposals for reform. read more
Once damage to the environment has already occurred, the only option is to put it right by retrospective remediation. If there is a risk to the environment - that is to say, if environmental damage is foreseeable with a reasonable degree of probability - the principle of danger prevention requires that its occurrence be prevented. The precautionary principle goes one important step further: The in... read more
Despite the growing demand for natural resources and the environmental problems entailed by this demand, in Germany there are as yet no laws on the books that adequately address this issue. Resource conservation law should take into account the entire value creation chain and should mandate both multi-sector and sector-specific instruments. read more
Associations seeking to obtain recognition as an environmental association must meet certain requirements. read more
The impact of climate change will be felt more strongly in the future – and in Germany too. This is the conclusion reached in what is called the vulnerability analysis, a comprehensive study on Germany's vulnerability to climate change.
