Topics | Umweltbundesamt

2023 was the warmest year worldwide since records began 1850.The last nine years have been the warmest years worldwide since 1850.The Paris Agreement stipulates that the increase in global temperature should be limited to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, and even to 1.5 °C. Due to historical data availability, the comparative period used by WMO for this purpose is 1850 to 1900. read more

Floods are natural events, they form on a regular basis and are an integral part of the water cycle. The occurrence of floods depends on the strength of precipitation, the characteristics of the catchment area and the morphology of the river itself. Humans can influence and intensify floods, their course and effects. read more

Managing the hazards and risks posed by floods includes precautionary measures, preparation for a flood, hazard prevention during an event and post-event management, including reconstruction. The uniform application of flood risk management has been ensured in the EU-Flood Risk Management Directive since 2007. read more

The Paris Agreement set the international goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. To achieve this, it is essential to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions towards zero. Additional measures are needed to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, such as reforestation. However, UBA advises against betting on untried, risky technologies. read more

According to the IPCC, global warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to mitigate the risks. An UBA position paper outlines how the EU climate policy could be aligned with this goal. Already by 2020, the parties to the Paris Agreement are to submit their updated national climate contribution to limit global warming. Up to now, far less has been promised than would be necessary. read more

Capital investments which target the energy, transport and building sectors can help to limit the rise in Earth’s temperatures to less than 2 degrees. A new UBA study proposes the criteria by which public financial institutions like development banks should proceed and identifies which projects should no longer be funded. read more

The international community resolved to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. The mitigation activities proposed by the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will not be enough to achieve that goal. An UBA report shows how the gap can be narrowed even before 2020, for example with more efficient electrical appliances and through renewable energy support. read more

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Fourth Assessment Report. The conclusion: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. read more