Publications

So far, developing countries do not contribute to global emissions reductions in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol: while they participate in the CDM, the reductions achieved through the mechanism are used for offsetting emissions in industrialized countries, thus resulting in a zero-sum game for the atmosphere.

Germany, as a party to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, has an obligation to prepare emissions inventories and publish them at regular intervals. To meet these reporting requirements, Germany operates the Central System for Emissions (Zentrale System Emissionen – ZSE), a comprehensive database that is used both to calculate and to manage and document relevant emission data.

The increased production of renewable raw materials for bioenergy and bio-materials needed to meet the ambitious targets of Germany, the EU and other countries implies tradeoffs which could oppose sustainability requirements.

The “Protocol on Water and Health” (PWH) of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) was signed at the third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in London in 1999.

The results of the estimations and scenarios in the case study clearly demonstrate that a consequent preservation of the peatland would minimize its Global Warming Potential (GWP). Though emissions, especially of methane, would still lead to a positive GWP, it would be significantly lower than under the present strongly degraded status quo of the peatland.

Final Report

Today mobile air-conditioning systems in passenger cars contain a refrigerant paying a major contribution to increasing the greenhouse effect. For the time being, about 30% of the worldwide emissions of hydrofluorocarbons arise from mobile air-conditioning systems in passenger cars [UNEP 2009].

The aim of this project was the determination of the biokinetics of TiO2 nanoparticles (NP) in the whole body of healthy adult rats after NP administration to the respiratory tract – either via inhalation or instillation. Here we offered applying our previously developed methodology of quantitative biokinetics using radio-labelled NP.

This report illustrates the results of two research projects of the German Federal Environmental Agency that ran parallel: - FKZ 204 24 218: Model-based quantification and internet-based visualisation of emissions into Germany’s rivers („Prioritary substances“) - FKZ 205 24 204: Development of a management tool on emissions into surface waters within the framework of the international reporting

There is no doubt that climate gas emissions must be drastically reduced and this applies to traffic in urban areas as well. The good news is that it could also provide an opportunity to enhance quality of life in towns and cities. The result could be a lively town, a pleasant atmosphere, fewer traffic jams, less noise and  more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Expectations set upon the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen were extremely high. This was because the COP 13 in Bali had set the COP 15 as the deadline for achieving a legally binding agreement to replace or extend the Kyoto Protocol.

Global carbon dioxide emissions need to be reduced by at least 50 to 85 % in 2050 com-pared to 2000 levels to limit global surface temperature increase to 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels (IPCC 2007).