Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Chemicals from cleaning agents, pesticides and household waste end up in rivers and ultimately in the sea.What can be done?By washing and cleaning in an environmentally friendly way, you can prevent chemicals from being released into the environment. You can find environmental tips for the household here (in German only). read more

The oceans absorb around a third of global emissions. This leads to ocean acidification, which destroys coral reefs, weakens shellfish and destabilises marine ecosystems. Acidification affects calcifying organisms such as mussels and snails, which are at the base of the food chain. Changes in water chemistry can affect the entire ecosystem of the North Sea and Baltic Sea in the long term.What can... read more

The oceans have always been an indispensable source of food. But overfishing, bycatch and damage to habitats through destructive fishing methods are straining marine ecosystems. More and more fish species around the world are threatened by overfishing. Current fishing bans for cod and herring, for example, show the explosive nature of the situation in the Baltic Sea. Non-target species such as mar... read more