Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Transformative environmental policy: Consistently promote and shape sustainable development

A guide for the BMU’s area of responsibility

Many environmental problems have been successfully resolved in recent decades. However some are persistent and prove difficult to solve, and new ones have been added. Environmental problems can be particularly persistent if their causes are closely linked to the way we do business, to central aspects of our society or to lifestyles that are perceived as attractive. This guide can help staff in the...read more

Air

Toxicological basic data for the derivation of EU-LCI values for five substances from building products

The subject of this project was the preparation of substance reports for the following compounds: dipropylene glycol mono n(t)-butyl ether (CAS No. 29911-28-2, 35884-42-5, 132739-31-2), 2-(2-hexyloxyethoxy)-ethanol (CAS No. 112-59-4), 1-propenylbenzene (CAS No. 637-50-3, 873-66-5), dipropylene glycol mono methyl ether acetate (CAS No. 88917-22-0) and hydroxyacetone (CAS No. 116-09-6). For these su...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Environmental offences in Germany 2016: a statistical analysis

Short version

This text summarises key findings of the German-language publication “Umweltdelikte 2016”. The publication provides a quantitative overview of the development and status of environmental crime in Germany between 2004 and 2016. For this publication, data from the two annual statistical sources that bring together data on (environmental) crime and criminal procedures in Germany were analysed; the Po...read more

Economy | Consumption

Influence of the service life of products in terms of their environmental impact: Establishing an information base and developing strategies against "obsolescence"

The aim of the study is to create a sound data basis for describing and assessing the phenomenon of obsolescence and the trends in achieved product lifespan and service life and, based on this, to develop strategies against obsolescence. The results show that electrical and electronic equipment is being replaced for many reasons. Material, functional, psychological and economic forms of obsolescen...read more

Climate | Energy

EU ETS up to 2030: Adjusting the Cap in light of the IPCC1.5°C Special Report and the Paris Agreement

Minimizing cumulative emissions is essential for reducing the risk of overshooting the warming limit of 1.5 degrees. This study commissioned by the German Environment Agency analyses the implications of this goal for the EU ETS and presents different scenarios for adjusting the linear reduction factor while staying within a cumulative emissions budget that is compatible with 1.5 degrees.read more

Chemicals

Comparison of different methodologies for selecting PELMO input parameters for groundwater modelling of plant protection products including current EU guidance (SANC0/12117/2014 - final, 2014)

In previous investigations it was demonstrated that the tiered approach for groundwater risk assessment of plant protection products in Europe (FOCUS) also represents and covers German environmental conditions. However, since a new approach of endpoint selection for groundwater modelling in the EU was implemented 2015, a recalculation of the results is required. A comparison of recalculated leacha...read more

Chemicals

Protection of the groundwater against loads of plant protection products: validation of the new EU-simulation model FOCUS PELMO 4 for a reliable prediction of the leaching potential of PPP into groundwater - Part B

GIS-based analysis of the protection level of the FOCUS-scenarios representative for Germany concerning climate and soil properties for the national risk assessment groundwater

The European scenario Hamburg used in the tiered approach for groundwater risk assessment of plant protection products in Europe (FOCUS) is evaluated to ascertain whether it also represents and covers German environmental conditions. A German wide analysis using geodata provides evidence that national environmental soil and climate conditions are not suitably covered by the European scenario Hambu...read more

Chemicals

Protection of the groundwater against loads of plant protection products: validation of the new EU-simulation model FOCUS PELMO 4 for a reliable prediction of the leaching potential of PPP into groundwater - Part A

Part A I: Validation of the national groundwater modelling approach based on results of outdoor lysimeter studies

The tiered approach for groundwater risk assessment of plant protection products in Europe (FOCUS) is evaluated to ensure whether this approach also represents and covers German environmental conditions. A comparison between modelled leachate concentrations and actual measurements from outdoor lysimeter studies provide evidence that a reliable and safe prediction of leachate concentrations for mos...read more