Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Chemicals, Soil | Land

Biocides

The intended use of biocides is to kill, to destroy or to deter living organisms. Undesirable effects on environment and health are thus likely to occur. This is true even if products are authorised, because the aim of the authorisation procedure is for every single product to keep these effects below an unacceptable level, not to eliminate the effects as a whole. The same rationale underlies the...read more

Climate | Energy

Sustainable cooling supply for building air conditioning and industry in Germany

The study determines possibilities to maximize the climate-friendliness of refrigeration supply in the field of building air conditioning and industrial refrigeration systems. It is based on a detailed analysis of the refrigeration needs of different industrial sectors and a characterization of the cooling techniques in use. Energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions and costs are calculated and eval...read more

Economy | Consumption

Green Economy: an Engine for Development?

The concept of a ”green economy” has been around for a few years, but has gained in recogni-tion and weight following the Rio+20 Conference in 2012, which recognised it as “one of the important tools available for achieving sustainable development”. While the Conference did not agree on a precise definition of the green economy concept, there is now an increasing body of experience from countries...read more

Economy | Consumption

Environmental Protection Goods – Defining the Scope

Methodology and list of potential environmental protection goods 2013

The report documents the creation of a new list of goods that are (capable of being) used for environmental and climate protection purposes. This list of potential environmental protection goods is based on the German official nomenclature of goods for production statistics 2009 (GP 2009). This list forms the basis for detailed analyses of the structure and development of the production and intern...read more

Chemicals

REACH Compliance: Data Availability of REACH Registrations - Part 1: Screening of chemicals > 1000 tpa

The report on the project “REACH Compliance: Data Availability of ⁠REACH⁠ Registrations” presents findings and results from the screening of 1932 dossiers of lead and individual registrants covering phase-in substances with a production volume of equal or above 1000 tpa. The standard information requirements necessary for the registration and their adaptation options for high tonnage...read more

Chemicals

Enhancement of the REACH requirements for (imported) articles

Options for improvement of the chemicals regulation

The EU might introduce an authorization scheme for imported goods such as clothing, sports gear and toys in the ⁠REACH⁠ Regulation, to aim at a better protection of humans and the environment against Substances of Very High Concern in articles. An UBA study claims that the necessary amendment of the EU chemicals regulation REACH would not breach international trade law. Another simpl...read more

Economy | Consumption

Estimating Gross Employment Effects of Environmental Protection

A Combined Demand-Supply Side Approach

Our paper first outlines the delimitation of environmental employment used in these studies, relating it to Eurostat’s CEPA and CReMA classifications. It then describes the approaches used to estimate environmental employment. Environmental employment originating from the production of environmental goods is estimated by a demand side approach based on environmental protection expenditure using In...read more

Economy | Consumption, Air, Soil | Land, Agriculture

Reactive nitrogen in Germany

Causes and effects - measures and recommendations

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for all living beings. However, many compounds containing nitrogen are harmful for the environment. Plant species adapted to nutrient-poor conditions are displaced from forests and heathland. Emissions of nitrous oxide from over-fertilized fields exacerbate climate change. In many places, manure is responsible for nitrate concentrations in groundwater climbing abo...read more