Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Waste | Resources

Looking to the future

Trend report for a forward-looking resource policy

The world is in a process of constant change and development. Not only is technology advancing, but the environment as well as  political, social and economic systems are constantly changing. To respond, it is important to look into the future so as to recognize and take advantage of opportunities as well as detect and minimize risks to mitigate negative consequences. A forward looking and precaut...read more

Economy | Consumption

Environmentally Harmful Subsidies In Germany 2014

Updated Edition 2014

In 2010 environmentally harmful subsidies in Germany amounted to more than €52 billion. The state granted subsidies among others to the lignite industry and aviation sector. The volume of subsidies therefore remains high –  and there is no sign of a systematic reduction. Environmentally harmful subsidies not only thwart environmental protection, they are also a burden on public funds. A reduction...read more

Chemicals

Environmental hazard of selected TiO2 nanomaterials under consideration of relevant exposure scenarios

This project investigated the ecotoxicological hazard of two different sized TiO2 nanomaterials and one non-nano sized TiO2 reference material to organisms inhabiting different environmental compartments. Following standardized tests (OECD guidelines) were used to investigate the influence of these materials on several test organisms:  Daphnia sp. acute immobilization test (Test No. 202), Fish emb...read more

Health

Workshop on Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases

Berlin, September 30th-October 2nd, 2014

The “Workshop on Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases” took place September 30th to October 2nd , 2014 in Berlin  as a joint meeting of the German Society of Medical Entomology and Acarology (DGMEA) and the “Workshop on Tick-borne Diseases” of the National Reference Laboratory for Q Fever of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut. This joint meeting was organized by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) - Federal Environme...read more

Climate | Energy

Submission under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol 2014

National Inventory Report for the German Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990 - 2012

As a Party to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC), since 1994 Germany has been obliged to prepare, publish and regularly update national emission inventories of greenhouse gases. In February 2005, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force. As a result, for the first time ever the international community of nations is required to implement binding action objectives and instruments f...read more

Economy | Consumption, Transport

European JRC report on R1234yf ignores fire incidents

Air conditioning systems for passenger cars in the EU must switch to a new refrigerant for the sake of climate protection. However, UBA is not the only one to believe that many car manufacturers are backing the wrong horse. The new refrigerant R1234yf can ignite during accidents and hydrofluoric acid may form. This is what tests commissioned by UBA and the German Federal Motor Transport Authority...read more

Chemicals

Mixtures in the Environment – Development of Assessment Strategies for the Regulation of Chemicals under REACH

This report describes and discusses approaches for the environmental risk assessment (aquatic compartment) of mixtures under ⁠REACH⁠. Different types of mixtures are defined. The focus lies on technical mixtures and discharge mixtures. Cumulative and aggregated exposures are considered. Interfaces to other regulations (e.g. Water Framework Directive) and consideration of substances n...read more

Chemicals

From theory to reality – Evaluation of suitable organisms and test systems for the biomitoring of pharmaceuticals

Part I: Literature review

In order to identify sensitive organisms, biological endpoints in vivo and suitable in vitro test systems for the biomonitoring of pharmaceuticals, a two-part literature search was conducted.read more