Sustainability and environmental problems usually have a wide range of causes, and they are often global. Solutions must therefore be found at international level. International cooperation in environmental protection has gradually become a more important issue over the last two decades. UBA's most important target groups are EU and UN institutions, the OECD and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The German National Sustainability Strategy is particularly relevant for German sustainability policies. UBA exercises foresight to develop strategies to influence developments in the long term and with due regard for processes and resources.
With today's start of "Climate Adaptation Week", the Federal Environment Ministry and the German Environment Agency are launching a three-week online consultation on climate adaptation issues.
The European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) will be aligned with the European climate protection target of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. In May and June 2023, the legal acts entered into force. Now the European Commission, in agreement with the member states, must draw up a variety of rules to implement the reform.
From 14 to 16 February 2023, the International Academy Transformation for Environment and Sustainability at the UBA (abbreviated to "TES Academy") held a three-day workshop on "Corruption Prevention as a Prerequisite for Successful Sustainability Transformation". In a video statement, the participating international experts call for cooperation in the prevention of corruption.
The shortage of housing is a problem in many large cities and metropolitan areas. The building sector has for years failed to meet its environmental and climate targets. A position paper by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the Commission for Sustainable Building (KNBau) at UBA investigates how affordable housing can be built without harm to the environment and human health.
The European consumer protection network, with the first-ever participation of the German Environment Agency, revealed manipulative practices on 148 out of 399 online shops it screened.
A flood alliance, “Tiny Forests” as a place for teaching about climate change adaptation and others – the winners of the national Blauer Kompass Award 2022 have been announced. The €25,000 in prize money is awarded to outstanding climate change adaptation projects in the areas of flood protection, agriculture, skilled crafts and trade, environmental education and rural development.
The new International Academy Transformation for Environment and Sustainability (TES Academy) has been launched in a pilot phase at UBA. The kick-off to the project is a virtual discussion series about the implications of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine on the sustainability transformation and how to respond to the situation.
Climate change is resulting in an increasing number of hot summer days in Germany. Tropical nights – when the temperature doesn't fall below 20 °C – are increasing. This is a particular burden for vulnerable groups in densely populated inner cities. A recent study by the UBA has systematically investigated how cooler temperatures can be realised in inner-city neighbourhoods and their buildings.
The European Commission has presented a draft regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides, which aims to drastically reduce their application. The German Environment Agency (UBA) welcomes the proposed regulation but believes its guidelines could be improved to ensure it works in practice.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) has proposed aligning VAT more closely with ecological and social criteria. The core of the "Climate and Environment Relief Package" is to exempt plant-based staple foods such as fruit, vegetables, grain products and vegetable oils and public passenger transport from VAT altogether.
The Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) aims to help reorient and prioritize the application of digital technologies to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.
How dangerous are chemicals that we use and come into contact with every day? The "PARC" initiative of the European Union (EU), launched in Paris on 11 May 2022, is breaking new ground in the assessment of chemical substances. The aim is to improve knowledge about chemical substances in order to better protect human health and the environment.
