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How can our built environment become healthier, more climate-friendly, and more resource-efficient? Recommendations for all levels of politics and administration — from the EU to local government — were developed in the EU Interreg project NonHazCity3 and are now presented with policy briefs and a short video. The focus: digital transparency of ingredients of building products and circularity.

Contaminated sites are abandoned industrial sites or abandoned waste disposal sites that result in harmful changes to the soil or other hazards to individuals or the general public. This can be caused by improper treatment, storage or disposal of waste and/ or the improper handling of environmentally hazardous substances.

Air pollution control measures are paying off: In 2025, Germany once again complied with all limit values under the European air quality directives. For particulate matter, this marks the eighth consecutive year; for nitrogen dioxide, the second. However, the average exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide was higher than in previous years.

For 10 years, the Blauer Kompass Award of the federal government has regularly given recognition to innovative projects for climate preparedness and for adapting to the impacts of climate change. The new round of the competition has started, and for the first time, it also includes a dedicated application category for schools. The application deadline is 20 March 2026.

Revenue from the European and the national emissions trading systems in Germany totaled €21.4 billion in 2025. Revenues from these two central market-based climate policy instruments were thus well above the previous year’s result (€18.5 billion). This was reported by the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) at the German Environment Agency (UBA).

Climate change is accelerating and threatens the foundations of our lives – but there is still time to act. Solar power plays a crucial role in this transition. A new analysis by the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows that if land for solar installations is chosen wisely, solar capacity can be expanded rapidly while safeguarding areas of high ecological and agricultural value.

Many homeowners remain hesitant when it comes to replacing heating systems in existing properties.

Germany’s gross electricity generation from renewable energy is expected to reach 292 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025, about 2 percent higher than last year’s output.

Leisure activities are important for our well-being and quality of life. We meet friends, pursue our hobbies or go travelling. These activities are linked to the use of natural resources. This project analyses the consumption of raw materials and greenhouse gases and develops a framework for action for a resource-efficient and climate-friendly leisure sector.

Climate change is advancing rapidly. This makes it all the more important to effectively align economic, societal and political action with the goal of achieving greenhouse-gas neutrality in Germany by 2045. A new study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows that this target can still be reached. The short-term climate targets for 2030 must continue to be pursued consistently.

UBA invites to the final conference of the EU project “NiCE” on March 11–12, 2026, at the UBA headquarters in Dessau-Roßlau. Together with cities, regions, networks, NGOs, and initiatives, we want to discuss ways to promote sustainable consumption structures in city centers.

The Federal Ministry for the Environment and the German Environment Agency are celebrating the winners of the German Ecodesign Award 2025 in Berlin. The award-winning projects demonstrate the broad spectrum of sustainable design today. Whether it’s bio-based materials or AI-enabled applications, design here becomes a lever for resource conservation, innovative business models and societal change.