Publications

The Fildes Region is one of the largest ice-free regions in maritime Antarctica and has a relatively high level of biodiversity. This area also represents the logistical centre of the Antarctic Peninsula with its six permanent stations.

For most biocides the environmental burdens resulting from the emission of these substances into the environment are not adequately known. A national monitoring programme aiming to investigate biocides in the environment could change this. In the present project, a concept for the implementation of a comprehensive biocides monitoring was prepared.

In 2016 the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) organised a conference on plastics in freshwater environments on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). 220 attendants from 20 European and two non-European countries attended the conference.

In 2016 the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) organised a conference on plastics in freshwater environments on behalf of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). 220 attendants from 20 European and two non-European countries attended the conference.

Core prerequisite for reaching global ambitous climate targets is a nearly carbon-free economy by mid-century. In this context a number of EU member states have developed long-term climate scenarios and thus initiated first discussions on national and European level.

In light of current developments and challenges in the freight transport sector, the report mainly seeks to do the following:

Packaging design is becoming increasingly complex with a growing use of components for the purpose of improving packaging properties or their increasing functionality. These include inter alia coatings for shelf life extension of foods or RFID-Chips for contactless identification (Radio Frequency Identification). Packaging design has a significant influence on its recyclability.

Based on the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU), the European Commission started 2014 an information exchange on best available techniques (BAT), aiming at the revision of the BAT Reference Document for Surface Treatment Using Organic Solvents” (STS BREF 2007).

In September 2016, the European Commission started an information exchange with member states, industry associations and NGOs on best available techniques for waste gas treatment in the chemical sector. Aim of the information exchange is the development of a Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document on Common Waste Gas Treatment in the Chemical Sector (WGC BREF).

These guidelines of the Interministerial Working Group on Adaptation to Climate Change of the German Federal Government (IMA Adaptation) provide methodological recommendations for the execution of climate impact and vulnerability assessments at regional and national level. They are intended to support the methodical preparatory work.

The research project identifies and evaluates the positions of relevant players and the issue of sustainable development in the debates on existing and future climate market mechanisms. Subsequently, it focuses on barriers for the integration of sustainable development benefits into market mechanisms and develops recommendations for possible solutions.

A literature study was performed to review the applicability of established and new tests for biodegradability for assessing persistence under REACH.