When strong winds hit bare or only poorly covered soil, soil material is stirred up and transported, sometimes over long distances, through the open landscape. The result is the stealthy loss of fertile soil. Neighboring sites and ecosystems can be affected. Also, for people dangerous situations are possible, for example due to impaired visibility. read more
Soil | Land
Soil loss by wind erosion
News on Water
Pesticide authorisations put our ground-& drinkingwater at risk
The quality of the drinking water in Germany is excellent. Its main source, groundwater, enjoys a high level of protection and should be as free as possible from chemical residues. read more
Digitalisation
Digitalisation as engine of transformation for a green economy
Issues related to the green economy have largely been considered separately from digitalisation in the past. A research project is now investigating the application areas and transformation potential of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms for a green economy. read more
News on Chemicals
Pesticide authorisations undermine environmental protection
Under the current legal situation, pesticides are authorised in Germany even though scientific findings show that they are harmful to the environment. The German authorities are currently unable to effectively protect the environment from harmful pesticides. This should be re-regulated under European law. read more
Agriculture
Fertilizer
In order to develop and grow, apart from adequate water, plants need nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphate and potassium and trace elements such as copper and zinc. Only if these requirements are met can high yield, high quality crops be obtained. Crop plants obtain nutrients and trace elements from the soil via their root systems, a process in which soil humus content plays an instrumental role.... read more
