Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Chemicals, Waste | Resources, Water

Best available techniques for PFOS substitution in the surface treatment of metals and plastics and analysis of alternative substances to PFOS when used in equipment for chromium plating and plastic etching

In the project, it was determined that approximately 1000 plants for chromium plating and pickling of plastics are operated in Germany, in which PFOS has been mainly substituted by 6:2 FTS. Many process alternatives already exist for the use of wetting agents or Cr(VI). The results of the project can be used, among others, for the reporting obligations under the POPs Regulation and the exchange on...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Towards a joint implementation of the 2030 Agenda / SDGs and the Paris Agreement

Conceptual and analytic paper

With this paper the state of research on the joint implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement is analysed. Factors that negatively influence the development of effective solutions are included. Criteria for assessing policy integration are elaborated, as well as practical categories of integration (cognitive capacity development, inter-institutional coord...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Towards a joint implementation of the 2030 Agenda / SDGs, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework

Discussion paper

The paper analyses the integrated implementation of the three major transformative policy agendas (2030 Agenda, Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework) and their interaction. How can integration to be understood and measured? How do different countries deal with overlaps, inconsistencies, and synergies between different international agendas? Factors that can help to overcome identified gaps and sho...read more

Chemicals, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Thematic Conferences Advanced Materials

Assessments of needs to act on chemical safety

The final report describes the execution and outcomes of a series of three thematic conferences which aimed to pave the way for an international exchange on challenges of advanced materials for chemical safety and sustainability. These conferences discussed the heterogeneity of the field, possibilities to cluster the world of advanced materials but also proposals to identify those advanced materia...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Recommendations for the design of sustainability reporting standards under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

Policy Paper

The European Non-Financial Reporting Directive requires certain large undertakings to disclose sustainability-related information. The Directive is currently being revised and renamed to Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). One of the main innovations of the European Commission’s proposal for the CSRD is the development of uniform European Sustainability Reporting Standards. This P...read more

Climate | Energy

Decomposition analysis of CO₂ emissions in the European cement sector

Identifying drivers of emission trends between 2005 and 2018

Based on a methodological approach developed by Branger und Quirion (2015), the authors analyse the drivers governing the development of CO2 emissions from cement production from 2005 to 2018 for the EU28 as a whole and selected EU countries using the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition method. At the EU28 level, CO2 emissions declined from 150 MtCO2 in 2005 to 120 MtCO2 in 2018. W...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Structural change in coal regions as a process of economic and social-ecological transition – Lessons learnt from structural change processes in Germany

Effective policies to mitigate climate change need to be accompanied by a socially just transition. Based on experiences of past and ongoing transition policies in coal regions in Europe and with indications to the specificity of framework conditions and challenges and to the potential effectiveness and transferability of approaches, this paper presents lessons learnt which can be inspirational fo...read more

Climate | Energy

Nature-based solutions and global climate protection

Assessment of their global mitigation potential and recommendations for international climate policy

This study examines the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) for global climate protection and in international climate policy. It provides a critical assessment of global mitigation potentials of NbS in forests, croplands, grasslands, terrestrial and coastal wetlands, and settlements and provides recommendations for international climate policy such as under UNFCCC. The results show that the pote...read more