Skip to main content Skip to main menu Skip to footer

Topics

Economy | Consumption

Promoting green products and services: how it works

paint buckets, paint brush and paint roller

Increasing numbers of customers are paying attention to products’ environmental compatibility. How can and should businesses draw attention to the environmental benefits of their products? When can a product be described as "water-saving” or “recyclable”, for instance?

Economy | Consumption

Employment numbers in environmental protection sector rising steadily

worker installing a thermal insulation on a facade of a building

Some 2.8 million people in Germany were employed in the environmental protection sector in 2017, says a recent report by the German Environment Agency (UBA). The importance of environmental protection for the labour market has continued to grow in recent years. In 2010, 5.9 percent of the labour force was employed in the environmental protection sector, rising to 6.4 percent in 2017 .

Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Federal contest prize for environmental building: "UMWELT & BAUEN"

moderner Holzbau mit Flachdach im Grünen

Due to the present circumstances, the deadline for the first-ever federal environmental building award called "UMWELT & BAUEN" has been extended. Contestants now have until 22 May 2020 to submit project entries.

Climate | Energy

CO2 emissions per kilowatt hour of electricity in further decline in 2019

overhead electicity line and wind power plants

The specific CO2 emission factor of Germany's electricity mix continues to be on the decline, say the latest calculations done by the German Environment Agency (UBA) for 2019. The main relevant factors which contributed to this were increased electricity generated from renewables and less from coal firing as well as prices in emissions trading.

Climate | Energy

Nomination of climate change adaptation projects

Blaues Logo des Wettbewerbs 2020

The German Environment Agency (UBA) has nominated 15 climate change adaptation projects to compete in the Blauer Kompass contest. Many exemplary actions are included, ranging from educational training modules in agriculture and climate-adapted housing, to heat protection for day care centres, schools and nursing homes.

Water

UBA names water body type of the year 2020

Ein kleiner Bachabschnitt fließt durch ein Waldstück

The German Environment Agency (UBA) declared the coarse substrate-dominated, calcareous small highland river as the water body type of 2020 on the occasion of World Water Day on 22 March 2020. Streams of this type occur primarily in the limestone regions of the central highlands , for example in the Swabian Alb and Frankish Alb. Only eight percent achieve 'good' ecological status.

Climate | Energy

Renewables cover 17.1 percent of gross final energy consumption in Germany in 2019

Photovoltaikanlage auf dem Dach des Umweltbundesamtes in Dessau-Roßlau

Renewable energies accounted for 17.1 percent of gross final energy consumption in 2019. This is compared to a share of 16.5 percent in the previous year. This puts the target of 18 percent which Germany must achieve by 2020 under the EU Renewable Energy Directive within sight. These are conclusions based on current data from the German Environment Agency (UBA).

Climate | Energy

2019 greenhouse gas emissions in Germany declined by 6.3 percent

in einer futuristisch anmutenden Szenerie mit blauem Licht stehen Solarpanels auf einer Wasserfläche, im Hintergrund Windkraftanlagen und Strommasten

Germany generated some 805 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 – 54 million tonnes (6.3%) less than in 2018. These are the results of a preliminary inventory of greenhouse gas emissions taken by the German Environment Agency (UBA), which continues the positive course of development of the previous year. With the exception of the global crisis year 2009, emissions reductions in 2019.

Waste | Resources

Research project on critical constituents in intermediates

Oil refinery

A large amount of petroleum- and coal-based chemicals is used as intermediates. A research project recently launched by UBA is intended to clarify, whether intermediate product applications result in the transfer of constituents of concern in the value chain or their release into the environment.

Climate | Energy

Speed limits on motorways clearly cut down CO2 emissions

Eine Autobahn

A general speed limit on German federal motorways would allow reductions of greenhouse gas emissions ranging between 1.9 and 5.4 million tonnes annually, depending on the actual limit imposed. These are the results of new calculations by the German Environment Agency (UBA).

Short link: www.uba.de/t50en