Press | Umweltbundesamt

Although emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) rose slightly in 2010, Germany’s overall volume of 960 million tonnes continues to undercut the Kyoto target value. A total volume of 40 million tonnes GHG, or 4.3 percent over the previous year’s, were emitted according to preliminary calculations by the Federal Environment Agency. The sharp rise in CO2 emissions owes largely to the economic recovery a... read more

The Federal Ministry for Environment is expanding its free service for teachers, with new educational materials on the topic of global warming and health now available on the Internet.  They are part of an expanding and updated collection of education materials on environment and health (Umwelt und Gesundheit). These materials, which were compiled jointly the Federal Ministry for Environment and t... read more

The volume of 454 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the some 1,630 concerns in the energy and industrial sectors involved in emissions trading in Germany in 2010 represents about six percent more climate-damaging CO2 emissions over the previous year in a weaker economy. As total emissions are under 2008 levels emissions, reduction efforts will proceed in the second trading period. read more

Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) published a study yesterday on plasticisers (phthalates) found in the dust in child day care centres.  These results are confirmed by Federal Environment Agency measurements which also determined higher plasticiser concentrations in dwellings. Plasticisers are thought to be the cause of malformation of the genitals and fertility dysfunction. Their main source is... read more

The 2011 water body type of the year, which experts refer to as “Small coarse substrate-dominated siliceous highland river (type 5), is most worthy of our attention, as its more than 18,000-km of waterways are the most common water body type in Germany. It winds its way throughout the German Central Uplands at altitudes ranging from 250-1,000 metres- through the Harz, Thuringian Forest, Bavarian F... read more

A new exhibition, Examples to Follow, will open on 23 March 2011 and run through 29 April 2011 at the Federal Environment Agency in Dessau. read more

For the first time both the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have set up a framework with which to establish a threshold level of protection against construction products throughout Europe. The regulation is based upon the new EU Regulation laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products, which will enter into force in 2013. After July 2013 CE... read more

Germany has been an active participant in conservation efforts in the Antarctic since 3 March 1981, the date it was granted full voting rights in the Antarctic Treaty. This international treaty has regulated the use of the Antarctic environment for strictly peaceful purposes and for scientific research of its perpetual ice since 1961. The Antarctic requires special protection since it is a natural... read more