Pharmaceuticals, detergents, pesticides etc. – ever more chemicals are polluting our waters. The Trace Substance Strategy of the German Federal Government focuses on preventing further inputs of such trace substances to the aquatic environment. UBA will move ahead on work to implement the Trace Substance Strategy at a newly established Federal Centre for Trace Substances. read more
Germany's greenhouse gas emissions down 8.7 percent in 2020
Germany produced about 739 million tonnes of greenhouse gases emissions in 2020 – roughly 70 million tonnes (8.7%) less than in 2019. These are the conclusions drawn from emissions data from the German Environment Agency (UBA) which were submitted according to the specifications of the Federal Climate Protection Act for the first time. The cut in emissions achieved is the largest since 1990. read more
Ground-level engine emissions are greatest source of ultrafine particle pollution at airports
Airborne ultrafine particles can be harmful to human health. A study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) at Frankfurt Airport has demonstrated that ultrafine particle (UFP) load in the vicinity of airports can be significantly elevated. Engine emissions are shown to be the major cause, contributing 90 per cent of total load. read more
Expert information drinking water and swimming pool water - No.: 14/2021
read more
Air quality 2020: Only a few cities still exceed nitrogen dioxide limit
Measured concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 2020 exceeded the annual mean limit of 40 µg/m³ of air at only about 3 to 4 percent of measuring stations located near road traffic, compared to 21 percent in 2019. Nitrogen dioxide pollution overall continues to decline throughout Germany. read more
Newsletter "UBA aktuell" - No.: 1/2021
Dear Reader, Just how climate friendly is online shopping? And how can it be more environmentally friendly? In this newsletter you will find interesting results from studies on this topic. Our calculations show that more environmental protection also saves our society money. Other topics in this issue: What is the environmental balance of various means of transport? And how can communities re... read more
CO2 pricing for emissions in heating and transport sectors to start in new year in Germany
Germany is set to launch the national emissions trading system for fuels on 1 January 2021. The trading system is intended to help reduce CO2 emissions in the heating and transport sectors. Until 2022, petrol, diesel, heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas will initially be part of the national emissions trading system. read more
Resolute environmental protection will save society many billions of euros
Greenhouse gases, nitrogen emissions and other environmental pollution cause damage to human health and destroy ecosystems. They also lead to production losses, crop losses and damage to buildings and infrastructure. For many of these damages, there are established scientific methods to express them in monetary terms. read more