Science

For the EU27 and Germany, the climate protection potential of the circular economy was examined for municipal waste, industrial & commercial, construction & demolition and food waste for 2017 and 2030 using the life cycle assessment method. The study shows the sector's GHG mitigation potential, including food waste prevention, in the context of the EU legal framework and the energy transition.

With today's start of "Climate Adaptation Week", the Federal Environment Ministry and the German Environment Agency are launching a three-week online consultation on climate adaptation issues.

A new study commissioned by the German Environment Agency shows that pesticide contamination of small bodies of water is particularly high where many pesticides are used on surrounding fields. In 80 percent of the investigated streams in Germany's agricultural landscape, the pesticides measured exceeded the limits set for animals and plants.

City centres have long been characterised by high levels of consumption. They now face major changes due to online retailing, the aftermath of COVID19 and the climate crisis. The UBA coordinated EU Interreg project “NiCE – from niche to centre”, started in May 2023. The project aims to take advantage of these changes and make city centres more attractive again by offering sustainable options.

The European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) will be aligned with the European climate protection target of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. In May and June 2023, the legal acts entered into force. Now the European Commission, in agreement with the member states, must draw up a variety of rules to implement the reform.

A new study for the German Environment Agency (UBA) foresees enormous tasks for the water supply along the Spree River if significantly less groundwater is pumped into the river with the end of brown coal mining in the Lausitz region. According to the study, in dry summer months this can lead to up to 75 per cent less water in the Spree locally.

It has been known for a long time that constant noise can lead to cardiovascular diseases. A new study done on behalf of the German Environment Agency shows that incessant traffic noise can also increase the risk of depression. A 10-decibel increase in road, railroad and aircraft noise can raise that risk by up to four, five and eleven percent.

Germany recorded no exceedances of particulate matter threshold values in 2022 for the fifth consecutive year. Current data shows that the annual mean limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) of 40 µg/m³ was exceeded at only two roadside measuring stations in Munich and Essen. These are the results of a preliminary evaluation of data collected by the federal states and the German Environment Agency.

100 major copper, iron ore and bauxite (“aluminium ore”) mine sites worldwide have been assessed for their environmental hazard potentials. Results have been published in an interactive map with a number of filter functions. In particular, companies can use the map to analyse environmental risks along supply chains and to support their environmental due diligence.

Currently, only slightly less than ten percent of rivers, lakes and coastal waters are in good ecological condition. Although this is a slight improvement over 2015, Germany still faces major challenges. According to the EU Water Framework Directive, water bodies should be "good" in terms of chemistry, ecology and – in the case of groundwater – also in terms of available quantity by 2027.