Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

New findings from the Federal Environment Agency’s (UBA) “Future? Ask Young People!” survey series show that environmental and climate protection is continuing to lose importance among 14- to 22-year-olds in Germany. Only around a third now consider the issue to be “very important”. In 2021, this figure was still half of those surveyed. 

The German Environment Agency (UBA) has published its scientific opinion on the EU's climate policy ambition — outlining what it will take to achieve the EU climate targets and make Europe's path to climate neutrality credible, coherent, and fair.

Germany's federal agencies responsible for human and environmental safety present research needs from a regulatory perspective.

For 10 years, the Blauer Kompass Award of the federal government has regularly given recognition to innovative projects for climate preparedness and for adapting to the impacts of climate change. The new round of the competition has started, and for the first time, it also includes a dedicated application category for schools. The application deadline is 20 March 2026.

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 results of COP30 are disappointing and reflect the complex geopolitical situation that prevented substantial progress. The proposed roadmap for a global phase-out of coal, oil and gas failed due to a strong opposition. Despite immense differences, many smaller decisions and successes were achieved.

Starting on November 10th — 10 years after the Paris Agreement—the international community will once again negotiate the future of global climate action. This time, the talks will take place on the banks of the Amazon in Belém, Brazil, a symbolic location. The focus will be on new national climate action contributions and the measurability of adaptation progress.

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.

Factoring in the environmental costs of fossil fuels—such as through CO₂ pricing—drives up the cost of petrol, oil and gas. A new study commissioned by the German Environment Agency (UBA) explores how climate and environmental protection policy can be both ambitious and socially fair. Fair burden-sharing is a key pillar of socially just environmental policy.

The majority of people in Germany continue to perceive both the environmental protection and climate change mitigation efforts as important. However, the topic continues to decline in relative perceived significance for the public

UBA together with UNDP, UNEP, Future Earth, ISC, ITU and Kenya is championing the Coalition for Digital Environment Sustainability – CODES, which brings together science community, governmental institutions, UN Bodies, tech companies, and civil society.