German Environment Agency

The German Environment Agency’s (UBA) website has undergone a major technical upgrade. We have taken this opportunity to redesign the homepage and implement a range of further improvements. Below you will find an overview of what’s new and how you can share your feedback with us.

Our "The Latest from UBA" Newsletter reports on the latest activities and work results of the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt – UBA). It includes the results of research and funded projects, conference news, and information about new publications and upcoming events. The newsletter is published six times a year in German and English.

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.

The UBA had already introduced an environmental management system in the late 1990s, which was then validated in 2001 according to the most stringent requirements worldwide under the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). In the meantime 14 UBA sites – including all air quality monitoring stations – have been validated according to EMAS. In 2017, UBA decided to become greenhouse gas-neutral.

Environmental law mainly serves the purpose of ensuring that no degradation of environmental goods and services takes place. Nevertheless, if environmental harm or harm to an individual caused by environmental media should occur, the law must also have a response in these cases.