Topics

Science

Networking is the bread and butter of research. Our research findings on environmental protection and protecting the public against environmental toxins are available free of charge in our publications, which comprise final reports on our own research, as well as overviews of our findings in various white papers and specialized brochures. And if you’re in search of grist for your own research mill, then be sure to visit our Data area and/or our environmental library. Our Umweltforschungsdatenbank (environmental data research database) enables you to see at a glance texts about environmental research in German speaking countries. And if you have a yen to join the UBA research community, then feel free to apply for one of our research projects.

One in five Germans suffers from railway noise – unnecessarily

The German Environment Agency (UBA) is campaigning for rail freight noise reduction. Solutions include cladding train wheels and brakes to reduce noise directly at the source. Financial reward for quiet trains must be increased, for example with lower track access charges. read more

Nitrogen pollution from diesel-fuelled cars even higher than suspected

Diesel passenger cars exceed European limits for nitrogen dioxide (NOx) on roads at higher levels than previously thought. In 2016 emissions were assumed to be 575 mg NOx/km, but the diesel-fuelled passenger car fleet in Germany actually had average emissions of 767 mg NOx/km. These findings are based on new calculations done on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA). read more

Most Germans want to be less dependent on their car

Representative survey on environmental awareness by the Federal Ministry of Environment and UBA: 91 per cent said that life would be better if they did not have to depend on a car for mobility. read more

Emissions trading: Emissions reductions in Germany only minimal

The roughly 1,900 fixed installations participating in emissions trading in 2016 had emissions worth 453 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents, or 0.6 per cent less than in 2015. The lower emissions in the emissions trading sector thus did not offset the 3.8-per cent increase over 2015 in Germany’s transport sector emissions which the UBA had calculated in its short-term forecast. read more

Future-fit city: Much more money needed for buses and trains

Air pollution, noise, traffic jams, too few green spaces – these are the problems that plague many people living in cities. In a new publication UBA paints a picture of how the future-fit city might look. read more

Land take: Make goals binding

An area of 66 hectares of new land is consumed every day in Germany, with severe negative effects on the environment. UBA recommends a fixed quota regime for land and a certificate trading system. read more

Deep sea mining: Germany lobbying for high environmental standards

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Germany Environment Agency (UBA) are campaigning for systematic environmental protection in deep sea mining. At an expert workshop event in Berlin, the two authorities made an appeal for a comprehensive assessment of both the chances and risks of future deep sea mining. read more