Topics

The standard requires a significant cut in pollutant emissions.

The agriculture sector has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to reducing its nitrogen inputs, say the latest nitrogen soil surface budgets of the German Environment Agency (UBA) which are based on data up to 2017. The average nitrogen surplus of the nitrogen soil surface budget is 77 kg per hectare (kg/ha) and has remained virtually constant for more than 20 years.

The Paris Agreement has strengthened objectives to limit global warming remarkably. Considering a fair or cost-effective contribution to global efforts relevant greenhouse gas emitting countries should upgrade their national 2030 commitments to comply with the respective goals. Even, simply redistributing cost-effective reductions among parties by 2050 would not meet fairness considerations.

In 2018, the European Commission published its communication “A clean planet for all”, which calls for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A thorough study commissioned by UBA assessing the underlying scenarios for policy making shows, that central aspects for building an adequate ambitious long-term climate strategy, such as socio-economic, fiscal and technological, had been considered.

5 December is World Soil Day, an initiative by the United Nations to focus attention on the importance of natural resources. Germany has named a Soil of the Year every year since 2005. Intertidal flat soils are Soil of the Year 2020.

Climate change, air pollution and contaminated water bodies harm more than just the environment. "Planet Gesundheit", the new interactive exhibition opened today shows how to manage daily life with fewer risks and side effects to health and the planet.

With the Paris Agreement the EU urgently needs to re-assess its long-term target. A new scenario, commissioned by UBA, shows that a GHG-neutral EU is feasible, based on a fully decarbonized energy supply, without carbon capture and storage. Key components of the scenario are a strong increase in energy efficiency as well as far-reaching electrification. The use of bioenergy is strongly limited.

Greening the office roof, unsealing the schoolyard, farming crops which are adapted to climate change, flood management measures, etc. This is the fourth time the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is acknowledging local and regional projects which make a real contribution to coping with the effects of climate change in Germany.

More and more proof of global warming is becoming evident.

The "SeeElefant" maritime waste collection ship, a house made from cardboard, integrating mealworm farms in bakeries, an urban e-bike sharing system – the winners of the eighth Federal Ecodesign Award offer up innovative solutions and creativity in products and ideas on sustainable lifestyles in times of resource scarcity and climate change.

New record high in packaging waste: 18.7 million tonnes accrued.

Adjust taxes, reduce noise, promote rail and climate-friendly fuels.