Publications

This report analyses the current legal framework of REACH instruments governing the risk management and related notification and communication obligations concerning “substances in articles” (SiA). The study discusses the definition of the term “article” and its interplay with chemical substances contained in the article or that are an integral element thereof.

This discussion paper assesses how robust accounting could be implemented under the Paris Agreement in order to avoid double counting between nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) implemented under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In order to enforce producer responsibility under waste law against producers of electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and packaging from countries outside the EU, so-called third countries, a new study recommends adding two new actors into the law and create a compulsory verification for them.

The political debate on raising EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target for 2030 from at least 40 percent up to 55 percent or even higher is in full swing. While the European Commission has proposed to reduce emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels, the European Parliament went a step further and adopted a target of 60 percent emissions reductions.

Sustainable development is hardly imaginable without a consistent circular economy. However, turning away from a predominantly linear economy requires many political, economic and social decisions.

The planetary boundaries concept was formulated in 2009 by a research group led by J. Rockström and revised by W. Steffen et al. in 2015. The most important challenges for the further processing of the concept include the translation, operationalization, utilization, downscaling and application of the concept.

The position paper reflects, which guiding principles for future environmental and sustainability policy might be necessary in addition to the existing ones in order to achieve firstly effective crisis management of current and possibly future pandemics and secondly the kick-off into socio-ecological transformations needed to reduce long-term environmental risks.

As part of the Energy Cooperation between the North Seas Countries to facilitate the further environment friendly, sustainable and effective deployment of offshore renewable energy, this report provides an overview on the site investigation procedures that are applied.

The ILESA project investigated magnetic materials containing rare earth metals, vehicle electronics and other waste streams containing precious and minor metals with the objective to enhance the recovery of these metals.

Walking is the healthiest, cheapest and most environmentally friendly means of transport. Furthermore, active mobility, such as walking and cycling, is an essential element in successfully transforming the transport sector and achieving sustainable urban mobility. Despite this walking is still a niche topic in Germany.

This position paper is the result of the work of the EPA Network’s group on Green Stimulus and reflects the inputs of all participants of the group. It emphasizes the urgent need to use the EU’s Covid-19 recovery efforts to also address the climate and biodiversity crises.

The position paper discusses the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for the global economy and geopolitics, for the countries of the Global South and for international environmental and sustainability policy. On this basis, the paper proposes approaches for a substantive reorientation of international environmental and sustainability policy.