Publications

Nitrogen emissions in the form of nitrogen oxides (NOX) or ammonia (NH3) contribute to the formation of groundlevel ozone and secondary fine particulates, which, together with nitrogen dioxide, are major air pollutants with significant impacts on human health. In addition, ammonia and ground-level ozone cause damage to crops and natural ecosystems.

The aim of the study was to fill knowledge gaps regarding the estimation of adaptation costs and to develop a concept towards comparing costs between developing countries. In the first part a conceptual approach is presented to estimate adaptation costs of various sectors.

The criteria for the sustainable selection and use of chemicals were developed by the Umweltbundesamt between 2008 and 2010 and reflect the current state of the expert discussion. They were compiled in a guide for small and medium sized enterprises (SME).

With its reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU Commission strives for not only a fairer distribution of agricultural funds but, in particular, for a more environmentally friendly, a “greener” CAP.

Within the next 40 years, in the European Union approximately 11,000 t of metallic mercury has to be disposed that is no longer used in the chlor-alkali industry or is gained from non-ferrous metal production or the cleaning of natural gas. One disposal option is permanent storage in underground storage sites in salt rock.

The overarching goal of the research project is to develop strategies and instruments for sustainable material use of biomass in order to contribute to the German federal government’s climate protection and resource conservation objectives. Political debate about biomass in recent years has focussed primarily on energy use.

Three different wood preservative products, their eluates produced by leaching tests, mixtures of some of their ingredients and some of their ingredients as single substances were tested for growth inhibition of green algae as well as acute and chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna. The tests were conducted according to OECD standard guidelines and supported by analytical

The Project deals with the possibilities of performing mixture toxicity assessment within the environmental risk assessment of the authorization of biocide and plant protection products. To this end a review on the state of scientific knowledge about the predictivity of combined effects is collated.

The main subject of this project was the comparison between plant-specific data of the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS) and the data and methods used for preparation of source category-specific annual inventories, according to the EU monitoring mechanism and the national reporting under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This brochure presents the German national working groups for environmental monitoring and research which contribute to the Working Group on Effects (WGE) of CLRTAP.

The use of biomass grown specifically for energy generation can have negative outcomes for environment protection and nature conservation. In this position paper, the Agriculture Commission at the German Federal Environment Agency (KLU) make suggestions for comprehensive ecological improvement.