… Floods - how they form and how we influence them Flooded elbe river near Dessau Source: Jörg Rechenberg / … percent. More water vapor in the atmosphere means more precipitation. In warmer climates, an increase in precipitation extremes can therefore be expected, …

… Holi – Festival of colours and dust During a holi-festival the participants throw … with Hindu roots, signifying the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring and the end of winter. The festival where people throw brightly coloured powders at …

… Maritime shipping Sailing boat and container ship in the harbor of Hamburg Source: FG II 2.3 / UBA More and larger … are: International Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972 ( London Convention ) and its updating Protocol of 1996 … exhaust gases from seagoing vessels negatively impact the environment, health and climate. Above all, sulphur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (including soot) and …

… Protecting the seas and oceans: how can it be done? View of the wide open sea Source: FG II 2.3 / UBA … committed to protecting the oceans, which are more important than ever. They buffer climate change, host biodiversity, provide food and raw materials, serve as living … offshore energy production , also have a negative impact on the marine environment. Waste, especially plastic waste including microplastics, is omnipresent. Underwater …

… Lead at Christmas and on New Year's Eve Lead tinsel and lead pouring are harmful to health Source: … Existing residual stocks of lead-based tinsel must be disposed of as special waste. Is lead pouring necessary year on year? A glance at the pre-Christmas …

… Statutes and regulations Statutory regulations are aimed protection of the environment. … important international instrument for the protection of the ozone layer and the climate (from e.g. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)). The …

… laws contribute to a cleaner environment Source: virtua73 / Fotolia.com Laws and regulations concerning transfrontier shipment of waste are based on the Basel Convention. The EU has transposed the procedural rules …

… neutral administrations is not simply a matter of reducing administrations’ direct climate footprint. Besides administrations’ credibility and function as role model, it is also about the purchasing power of the public …

… (EPR) has been increasingly discussed as a concept to solve the current waste problems for specific products. As originally introduced by Swedish economist … manufacturer of the product responsible for the entire life-cycle of the product and especially for the take-back, recycling, and final disposal”. Proponents of EPR …

… from Chemicals An improved risk assessment of chemicals to protect human health and the environment Source: sergo321 / AdobeStock The "European Partnership for the … knowledge about chemical substances in order to better protect human health and the environment. This goal is to be achieved within seven years together with … innovation in chemicals risk assessment. This should enable the sustainable use and management of chemicals while simultaneously protecting human health and the …