Recognising greenwashing – creating transparency
Climate-neutral, sustainable, recyclable – companies like to advertise their products with these or similar environmental claims. However, not all claims are legally permissible.
The way our economy currently operates is undermining the foundations of our prosperity because it destroys the natural bases of that very economy. Overuse of resources and climate change are prime examples. Green Economy, sustainable production and sustainable consumption are therefore the overriding aims in the area of economy and consumption.
Climate-neutral, sustainable, recyclable – companies like to advertise their products with these or similar environmental claims. However, not all claims are legally permissible.
The European Commission wants to combat widespread greenwashing in advertising and promote reliable environmental information with a new directive on competition and consumer laws. The goal is to protect consumers from often misleading adverts boasting the environmental benefits of products with labels such as ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’, ‘climate neutral’ or ‘recyclable’.
Der Trend ist positiv. Insgesamt wurden von den dualen Systemen 2023 im Vergleich zum Vorjahr mehr Verpackungen recycelt. Das gaben das Umweltbundesamt (UBA) und die Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (ZSVR) am 21. Januar 2025 auf einer gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz bekannt. Die strikte Mülltrennung ist die zentrale Voraussetzung, um das Recycling weiter auszubauen.
Sustainability in supermarkets has many facets. It ranges from resource-conserving food production and environmentally friendly packaging to the avoidance of food waste.
The advisory board and jury of the German Ecodesign Award have selected ten winners from a record number of more than 400 submissions.
the CPC network of European consumer protection authorities, co-led by the German Environment Agency (UBA), is taking action against the company. In a joint letter, the consumer protection authorities call on Temu to cease its violations of European law as soon as possible. If the company does not cooperate, further measures – such as the imposition of fines – may follow.
The “Urban-Rural-Plus” project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) examined how urban and rural areas can work together more effectively to combine the advantages of both and compensate for deficits, for example in the areas of nutrition, housing, trade, recycling management and local recreation.
Germany intends to become climate-neutral by 2045. This goal requires a sufficient number of well-qualified specialists to implement and advance the necessary measures on the road to a sustainable society.
This year, the German Ecodesign Award has reached a milestone, as more than 400 innovative and sustainable projects were submitted – a record that demonstrates the high value placed on ecodesign.
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.
The conditions for the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are currently being created across the EU. CBAM ensures that the CO₂ emissions of certain energy-intensive imported products are given a price.
NonHazCity 3 is a European project under the framework of the EU Interreg Program for the Baltic Sea Region. The project aims to reduce hazardous substances in the construction sector and to support circular construction. A NonHazCity Building Award will be given to celebrate the most effective laws and policies for non-hazardous buildings – nominations are welcome! Deadline is the 15th June 2024.