Topics | Umweltbundesamt

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) are organising the German SUSTAINABLE BUILDING Award for the third time. read more

The Single-Use Plastic Fund Act obliges manufacturers, from 2024, to bear the costs of single-use plastic products collected as waste in streets or parks. While the digital platform DIVID, set up by the UBA, was initially only available for the registration of manufacturers in Germany, eligible parties and foreign manufacturers have also been able to register there since 1 August 2024. read more

Water bodies can contribute to climate change as sources of greenhouse gases – this is the conclusion of a new UBA study. Modified water bodies in particular emit carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Renaturalisation and the reconnection of floodplains can help to reduce these emissions and enable water bodies to act as greenhouse gas sinks. read more

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. read more

In the summer of 2022, an environmental disaster occurred in the Oder River: an estimated 1,000 tons of fish, mussels, and snails died. This began in the Polish part of the Oder and continued downstream into Germany. The cause was a toxic brackish algae called Prymnesium parvum. read more

Capacity expansion must be further accelerated to meet climate and energy targets. In the heating sector, mild weather led to lower demand for heating. In the mobility sector, the use of renewable electricity in transport increased slightly. read more

The European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS 1) covers emissions from energy-intensive industry, the energy sector and intra-European aviation. In 2023, the 1,725 stationary installations in Germany covered by the EU ETS 1 emitted around 289 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂-eq). This corresponds to a reduction of around 18 per cent compared to the previous year. read more

Sponge city concepts are an essential basis for adapting cities to extreme weather events such as heavy rain, heat and drought. Many local authorities are working toward that aim. However, it is becoming increasingly important to remove barriers so that towns and cities can better prepare for changing climate conditions. read more