Immission control is one of the key areas of environmental protection law. Its aim is to reduce potentially harmful impacts on human beings and their environment (immissions) by means of risk prevention and precautionary measures.
In accordance with the German Constitution (Basic Law – Grundgesetz, GG) anyone asserting that their rights are being infringed by public authority may have recourse to the courts (Section 42 (2) Code of Administrative Court Procedure – Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung, VwGO).
Environmental law mainly serves the purpose of ensuring that no degradation of environmental goods and services takes place. Nevertheless, if environmental harm or harm to an individual caused by environmental media should occur, the law must also have a response in these cases.
Intensive agriculture is a major source of pollution and other environmental damage. It is responsible for a considerable share of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany, biodiversity loss, pollution of environmental media and threats to natural soil function.
Every industrialised economy is dependent on a secure supply of raw materials. Manufacturing industry and the energy sector in particular require immense amounts of such materials. It is for this reason that Germany extracts its own deposits and also imports significant amounts of those raw materials which are not available domestically.
Most of UBA's work with regard to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and the Antarctic Treaty itself is carried out in Dessau-Roßlau, but sometimes UBA staff members take part in inspections and observer missions in the Antarctic.
King George Island is the largest of the South Shetland Islands, and because of its accessibility from South America, now hosts 14 research stations and field huts of about one dozen nations. Construction and operation of these stations requires a great deal of logistical activities which impact the environment. Environmental monitoring will help to detect and solve problems.
