Topics | Umweltbundesamt

In 2019, around 2.9 million people worked in environmental protection. That was 6.5 % of all employees.Of this, over half are environment-related services.Since 2002, employment in environmental protection has risen steadily and environmental protection has established itself as an important factor for the labour market. read more

344,100 people worked in the renewable energy sector in 2021.Employment in the renewable energy sector reflects the development of the German market.Strong employment growth until 2011 was followed by a pronounced decline that resulted from the widespread collapse of the domestic photovoltaic industry.Only since 2019, employment has been slightly rising again. read more

Approximately 6 % of industrial production in Germany can be used to protect the environment, e.g. for noise protection or climate mitigation.In 2019, potential environmental protection goods worth nearly 90.6 billion euros were produced in Germany.The production of environmental protection goods has slightly increased since 2013. read more

Every industrialised economy is dependent on a secure supply of raw materials. Manufacturing industry and the energy sector in particular require immense amounts of such materials. It is for this reason that Germany extracts its own deposits and also imports significant amounts of those raw materials which are not available domestically. 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

The environmental administration in Germany is deeply rooted in the German tradition of federalism. Due to this specific tradition, German environmental administration might seem rather complex from an outside view. Therefore the German Environment Agency has developed a guide in English to provide a concise introduction to the German environmental administration for an international readership. 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

Germany’s farming sector uses the largest amount of land, but is at the same a lynchpin of our economy – one that provides a reliable food supply and produces sustainable raw materials. The farming sector also plays a key role when it comes to preservation and development of the man-made environment. But increasingly intensive farming brings with it a host of eco-unfriendly effects. read more