Water | Umweltbundesamt

The new OECD Handbook on Environmental Due Diligence in Mineral Supply Chains is a milestone for environmental protection in global value chains. For the first time, a clear description is given of how companies can identify, assess and prioritise environmental issues at the beginning of their global supply chains and take measures to prevent, mitigate or find solutions to arising problems. read more

Slow-to-degrade, mobile and partly toxic chemicals, so-called PMT/vPvM substances, can endanger our water resources over a long period of time. That is why the German Environment Agency – in line with the European chemicals regulation REACH – is calling for emissions of such substances into the environment to be minimised. The urgent need for action is shown by four new UBA studies. read more

A new study commissioned by the German Environment Agency shows that pesticide contamination of small bodies of water is particularly high where many pesticides are used on surrounding fields. In 80 percent of the investigated streams in Germany's agricultural landscape, the pesticides measured exceeded the limits set for animals and plants. read more

A new study for the German Environment Agency (UBA) foresees enormous tasks for the water supply along the Spree River if significantly less groundwater is pumped into the river with the end of brown coal mining in the Lausitz region. According to the study, in dry summer months this can lead to up to 75 per cent less water in the Spree locally. read more

Germany is a good place to bathe. This is confirmed by the EU Commission's report on the quality of European bathing waters, presented on 9 June 2023. According to the report, over 96 percent of the officially designated bathing water sites on lakes, rivers and coasts in Germany were rated "excellent" or "good". A total of 98 percent of all bathing water sites met the minimum requirements. read more

For seven years, the Marine Litter Round Table has been developing recommendations for actions against plastic pollution in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The contributors are meeting in Berlin with patrons, Federal Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke, Minister for Environment of Lower Saxony Christian Meyer and UBA President Dirk Messner to present results. read more

The German Environment Agency has commissioned a project to study the effects of discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) of ships on the marine environment. Scrubber discharge contains pollutants such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are classified as extremely hazardous. Discharge bans - at least regional - are recommended. read more

Currently, only slightly less than ten percent of rivers, lakes and coastal waters are in good ecological condition. Although this is a slight improvement over 2015, Germany still faces major challenges. According to the EU Water Framework Directive, water bodies should be "good" in terms of chemistry, ecology and – in the case of groundwater – also in terms of available quantity by 2027. read more