We’re pleased to inform you about our latest publications addressing ongoing and upcoming discussions on European environment and climate policy.
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EU relations team German Environment Agency (UBA)
News
UBA Webinar: Being serious about the no net land take target – it’s time to start
Thursday, February 1st, 2024, 11:30-14:00 CET, online
No net land take by 2050 – this is the target set twelve years ago by the European Commission in the Road map for a resource efficient Europe. Recently, the Commission released a proposal for a Soil Monitoring and Resilience Law that requires Member States to monitor land take in their countries. How do we get from monitoring land take to achieving net zero? In our webinar, organized by the German Environment Agency, we want to discuss solutions and innovative ideas by policymakers and scientists.
Setting an ambitious EU climate target for the year 2040 - Recommendations by the German Environment Agency
The European Climate Law mandates the European Commission to propose a 2040 emissions reduction target by early 2024. In light of the latest report from the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, the German Environment Agency follows suit and recommends adhering to scientific advice, aiming for the most plausible climate ambition, and setting a domestic 2040 net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 95%, compared to 1990.
The Scientific Opinion Paper further discusses the interaction between emissions reductions and sinks, the implications for the current architecture of climate policy (consisting of the three pillars: emissions trading, effort sharing and LULUCF regulations) as well as aspects of regular target reviewing and tightening.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) - Contribution to the discussion on its integration into national climate action strategies
The UBA position paper assesses the usefulness of carbon capture and storage (CCS for short) as a climate protection instrument. It describes guidelines for sustainable use, as well as the necessary monitoring and risk prevention. The effects of CCS on human health and the environment are also considered. According to the paper, CCS cannot replace greenhouse gas reductions and the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. CCS must also not lead to perpetuate fossil energy supply structures and hinder the expansion of renewable energies. The UBA therefore proposes that the technology should first be tested in waste incineration plants where heat and electricity are generated from non-recyclable waste, but where CO₂ is also produced.
Framework conditions, requirements, and recommendations for action
In addition to environmental and climate policy objectives, the Circular Economy is also essential for strengthening the security of supply and for achieving further economic and socio-economic goals. Recycling is one of the key factors along with a range of other approaches and strategies (e.g., longevity, Intensity of use, and the sharing economy). In order to assess the contribution and the…
The high land take rate is a problem throughout Europe. The EU demands that land take will be reduced to net zero until the year 2050 (no net land take target). However, land take in Europe is recorded at national level using different methods. Depending on whether the surveys are based on aerial photo data or cadastral data, the results differ significantly in some cases. In a research project by…
Spatial analysis of the input pathways into the water cycle
Trifluoroacetate (TFA) is a very persistent and highly mobile substance that can accumulate in certain environmental compartments. TFA cannot be removed using conventional water treatment methods. Although, according to current knowledge, the acute toxicity of TFA is low, inputs of TFA into water bodies should be avoided as far as possible.
In this project Germany-wide TFA pollution and its sources…
Potential benefits and challenges for environmental authorities to use information disclosed according to European Sustainability Reporting Standard E2
From 2025 onwards, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires large European companies to provide transparency on their impacts on people and the environment. So far, the role of these new reporting rules in the work of environmental authorities has not been systematically analysed and discussed. This study examines the potential benefits and challenges for environmental…
A Meta Study assessing Evaluations of selected Policies reported in the Danish, French, German, Slovenian, and Swedish Plan
The meta study makes suggestions on content requirements, transparency and comprehensibility of NECP reporting and contributes to its further development. The authors analysed the German NECP and the NECPs of Denmark, France, Sweden and Slovenia. The focus was on the methodology of ex-ante and ex-post evaluations, the contributions of 23 PaMs to the achievement of the EU climate protection and…
In the future, more and more people will probably no longer work in the office at the company's location or public institution, but from home, on business trips or in co-working spaces. What will the mobile working world look like in the future? What will happen to traditional office spaces? How will private spaces change? Where will people settle in the future? Which consumer products and…
