Topics | Umweltbundesamt

The averaged index of air pollutants fell by 37.0% between 2005 and 2023.The obligations of the Gothenburg Protocol and the NEC Directive for 2020 were achieved.Safely meeting the commitments of the European NEC) Directive for 2030, is a challenge for the German environmental policy.Ammonia emissions must continue to be significantly reduced to achieve this. read more

The total raw material productivity grew by 15 % between 2010 and 2021.According to the German government, an average growth of 1.6 % of total raw material productivity must be achieved between 2010 and 2030.With annual growth averaging around 1.3 %, the current development is below this target.Total raw material productivity is a measure of the efficiency of raw material use and also includes raw... read more

The basic pollution levels in German conurbations significantly exceed WHO recommendations from 2021 for particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).In the vicinity of pollutant sources, pollution levels can even be significantly higher.The situation for NO₂ and PM2.5 has improved considerably since 2000, but the WHO recommendations for 2021 are still clearly exceeded.Ozone and PM2.5 pol... read more

In 2023 around 3.4 million people worked in Green Tech.Waste management and resource conservation (circular economy) account for around one third.The number of employees has risen steadily since 2010. read more

In 2023, approximately 276,000 people worked in the renewable energy sector.This represents an increase of approximately 2.3 % between 2010 and 2023.The field of intelligent energy systems and grids registered the highest proportionate increase in employment. read more

All bathing waters in the EU were supposed to be of at least sufficient quality by 2015.97.8 % of inland bathing waters had excellent water quality in 2024. With that the target has been missed only slightly.Considering only those bathing waters that were explicitly assessed, 99.6 % of the bathing waters met the requirements in 2024.About 91 % of inland waters and a good 88 % of coastal bathing wa... read more

After a sharp rise between 2000 and 2003, the proportion of PEFC certified areas has stagnated until 2019. In 2024, the share was 10 percentage points higher than in 2019.Overall, the proportion of areas certified under FSC has developed very well since 2000, with a dip in 2024. The proportion is far below that of PECF certified areas, however.The Federal Government wanted the forested area in Ger... read more

2024 was the warmest year worldwide since records began 1850.The last ten 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