94 entries were presented to a meeting of the award jury held at the feldfünf e.V. company on 28 September in Berlin. 25 projects are the lucky nominees for the German Federal Ecodesign Award 2021. Winners of the highest national distinction for ecodesign will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Federal Ministry for the Environment on 6 December 2021.
Organic milk production from cows that graze in pasture is more favourable for the environment. The main reason is how the feed is produced. These are the results of a study commissioned by the German Environment Agency (UBA) which analysed the environmental impact of various milk production systems in Germany and assessed their environmental cost.
Sustainable mobility can promote health and safety. Walking, cycling or using public transport improves mental and physical health and keeps people fit. Low speeds and a traffic system which is geared towards pedestrians and cyclists are all part of greater safety in transportation. European Mobility Week which takes place from 16 to 22 September features citizen actions in towns and cities.
The vocational school centre in Mühldorf am Inn wins the Federal ENVIRONMENT & BUILDING 2021 Award for its innovative energy concept. The building generates more energy than it consumes and stores waste heat in an ice storage. In addition to the main prize winner, another four projects were awarded recognitions, including two in the newly created category "climate-friendly refurbishment".
The first sell-off session in the national fuel emissions trading system (German: nEHS) is expected to be on 5 October 2021, as scheduled in an agreement between the European Energy Exchange (EEX) and the German Environment Agency (UBA). The sales sessions on the European Energy Exchange (EEX) will be held twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for six hours each from 9.30 until 15.30 CET.
The federal government, the federal states and the region have agreed to cooperate closely in setting up the "National Centre for Environmental Information (umwelt.info)". This is the result of a working meeting in Merseburg today.
In May 2021, the European Commission presented the Zero Pollution Action Plan, which aims to show how air, water and soil can become pollution-free. The Action Plan must be expanded to include a cross-regulatory approach that considers the entire life cycle of pollution, including its most important sources and effects on humans and the environment.
The formation of non-extractable residues (NER) is a frequently observed phenomenon during the degradation of substances in soil and sediment. So far, there is no accepted approach to assess their hazard potential for the environment. At a workshop in February 2021, UBA presented two proposals for evaluating NERs in the persistence assessment.
Information on sustainability in the textile and fashion industry - this is what the new online platform www.sustainfashion.info by HEJSupport offers, funded by the UBA as part of an Associations project. Different aspects of the sector are highlighted, such as environmental pollution or human rights, and allows people to speak who share their visions for more sustainability.
Car-free days, free public transport, e-cargo bike trials – Since its launch in 2002, more and more municipalities as well as companies, associations and educational institutions have been taking part in European Mobility Week (EMW). The German Environment Agency (UBA) is launching the first nationwide competition this year to honour this commitment.
Air pollution, climate change, land sealing, waste and water management are some of the greatest environmental challenges for urban areas. To tackle these challenges, cities need sufficient funds, staff, technical innovation, political commitment, and a national framework and incentives. An UBA study examined six urban areas in six countries.
All affected stakeholders (associations and companies) as well as manufactures of alternatives are invited to complete the questionnaire for a restriction proposal on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) before October 17 2021. The restriction shall cover the manufacture, placing on the market and use of all PFASs in the EU.
