Mission Statement | Umweltbundesamt

Who we are

The German Environment Agency is the scientific environmental authority under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, responsible for the most diverse range of topics.

We assume responsibility for the protection of the environment and of humankind against adverse environmental factors.

We represent all essential fields of study and qualifications.

The importance of our analyses and recommendations for political decision-making and our independence from lobbying interests make us a unique environmental institution in Germany.

What we want

Our goals are

• to protect and maintain natural resources, also as an act of responsibility towards future generations,
• to advance sustainable development,
• to promote environmental protection as a matter of course in the thinking and action of everybody.

What we do

We investigate, describe, and assess the state of the environment in order to determine adverse impacts for humanity and the environment comprehensively and as early as possible.

Our various units draft professional concepts and propose effective measures to the Federal Environment Ministry and other federal ministries.

We also advise other national, regional and private bodies.

We provide the public with clear information on the causes of environmental problems as well as practical opportunities to solve them.

We cooperate in international committees and conferences on the continued development of international environmental protection.

We make our knowledge and experience available to a national and international public.

Our services are performed in a timely and cost-conscious manner.

How we work

The German Environment Agency - meaning each and every member of its staff.

We work cooperatively with a sense of responsibility and commitment, making use of flexible teamwork structures.

We respect the views of others and recognize their achievements.

It is our management staff that is responsible for creating a good interpersonal working environment where creativity and expert knowledge enjoy fruitful coexistence.

Our decisions are made transparent; we are self-critical and open to criticism from the outside.

We rely on our collective aptitude and observe the rules of good scientific practice in order to perform services that are sound, understandable, effective and practicable.

We gain our knowledge through our own research, from research contracts, from practical tests, and the assessment of third parties' work.

The Agency's statements are the result of an opinion forming process which takes all professional aspects into account.