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 change is advancing rapidly. This makes it all the more important to effectively align economic, societal and political action with the goal of achieving greenhouse-gas neutrality in Germany by 2045. A new study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows that this target can still be reached. The short-term climate targets for 2030 must continue to be pursued consistently.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment and the German Environment Agency are celebrating the winners of the German Ecodesign Award 2025 in Berlin. The award-winning projects demonstrate the broad spectrum of sustainable design today. Whether it’s bio-based materials or AI-enabled applications, design here becomes a lever for resource conservation, innovative business models and societal change.
Digitalisation is changing consumption: More and more people are researching online and shopping on the internet. However, sustainable products and alternatives to new purchases often remain invisible here. Although there is an awareness of sustainability, price, convenience, and rapid availability still generally determine purchasing decisions.
In 2025, the German Ecodesign Award will once again impressively demonstrate how ecological design positively impacts the environment and our everyday culture, and the contribution it makes to transformation. Around 380 submissions from business, research, and universities across Europe reflect the growing commitment to ecological design in all areas of life.
Urban and rural areas are often perceived as opposites. In reality, however, they are closely interwoven. While cities are struggling with rising rents and space scarcites, many rural regions are facing an ageing population and a shortage of skilled workers.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) has taken action against unfair business practices by the sales platform CopeCart. In a decision dated 4 June 2025, it prohibited the company from offering distance learning courses to consumers in Austria that are not properly approved.
UBA invites to the final conference of the EU project “NiCE” on March 11–12, 2026, at the UBA headquarters in Dessau-Roßlau. Together with cities, regions, networks, NGOs, and initiatives, we want to discuss ways to promote sustainable consumption structures in city centers.
The German GreenTech sector is growing significantly faster than traditional industrial sectors, is strongly integrated into global trade, and is a driver of innovation in many areas.
For the first time, Germany is cancelling certificates from the European Emissions Trading System to secure the climate effect of the statutory coal phase-out. In total, certificates corresponding to 514,000 tonnes of CO₂ will be withdrawn from the market. This measure is the result of the shutdown of the Neurath A and Frechen power plant units in 2022, as stipulated by the Coal Phase-Out Act.
In the modern consumer society, household appliances are often quickly disposed of and replaced with newer and supposedly better products. One argument for this is the greater energy efficiency of the new appliance.
Greenhouse gas emissions in Germany fell by 3.4 percent to 649 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2024 compared to 2023, data published by the the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) examined second-hand sales platforms as part of an EU-wide investigation by the European Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC).
