Organic products are not only tasty and healthy, but their cultivation also helps the environment. Organic farming is particularly resource-efficient and based on the principle of sustainability.
Germany’s farming sector uses the largest amount of land, but is at the same a lynchpin of our economy – one that provides a reliable food supply and produces sustainable raw materials. The farming sector also plays a key role when it comes to preservation and development of the man-made environment. But increasingly intensive farming brings with it a host of eco-unfriendly effects.
The purpose of tradable land planning permits is to control the use of new land for settlement and transport. Municipalities would be restricted in developing greenfield land outside of existing built-up areas for new settlement and transport projects. The UBA is currently conducting a countrywide pilot project with selected municipalities.
Volatile organic compounds are partly of natural origin, partly contained in articles of daily use, and can constantly reach our nose and skin. What health effects can VOCs have? How can unwanted exposure be reduced?
According to the Federal Soil Protection Act ( BBodSchG), contaminated sites are abandoned industrial sites or abandoned waste disposal sites that have caused harmful changes to the soil or other hazards to individuals or the general public. This can be caused by
improper treatment, storage or disposal of waste and/or the improper handling of environmentally hazardous substances.
Efficiency increase oftentimes reduces product or service costs, which can in turn ramp up consumption (due to reduced prices), thus partly canceling out the original savings. This is known as the rebound effect.
Waste management makes an important contribution to climate protection. Recycling, the energetic use of residual waste, and capturing and utilizing landfill gas contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Germany, the landfill ban for untreated municipal solid waste (MSW) set an important impulse for this development.
Waste prevention conserves resources and protects people and the environment. It is therefore a primary goal of the circular economy. In 2013, the Waste Prevention Program with the participation of the federal states was adopted. It was drawn up with support of the German Environment Agency. The waste prevention program was reviewed in 2019 and updated in 2021.
The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) and UBA present joint recommendations for action.
Pursuant to Germany’s Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz law, waste is to be disposed of in a safe and environmentally compatible manner, whereby the top priority in this regard is protecting human health and the environment. Various waste treatment, recycling and disposal techniques are used, depending on the nature of the waste in question and the waste management objective.
German government statistics concerning transfrontier shipment of wastes show that such transactions mainly involve neighboring countries, with the lion’s share of waste originating from the relevant border regions. The mean transport distance between the location at which waste originates and its recovery or disposal destination is less than 500 kilometers.
Climate projections provide information about possible future climate developments. They constitute an important basis to gain information about climate impacts and possible adaptation options. Climate projections are the result of the application of climate models that are based on emission and concentration scenarios.
