Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption

Efficiency display of space heaters

This study develops recommendations on how efficiency indicators can be considered and designed as part of the amendment of the Ecodesign Regulation (EU) No 813/2013 on space heaters and combination heaters. Efficiency indicators should be used for the early detection of efficiency problems in heating appliances as well as efficiency-reducing defects. They are based on data that is mostly collecte...read more

Waste | Resources

Indicators in the area of sustainable resource use and circular economy

Principles and requirements for the development of consistent indicator systems

Today, a large number of resource and circular economy (CE) indicators based on different conceptual and methodological approaches can be found in scientific literature, studies, and policy programs. To facilitate the selection of suitable indicators, this position paper is divided into two parts: Part I presents guidelines for indicators and indicator systems that enable the classification of exi...read more

Climate | Energy, Soil | Land, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Nature-based solutions for climate and biodiversity protection in selected national climate contributions

This report aims to inform the implementation of the German Action Plan with experiences from other countries that have also developed NbS measures to strengthen their natural carbon sinks. Six case study countries were selected for analysis: United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Ethiopia, Indonesia, Brazil and China. These countries were chosen because their NDCs mention NbS explic...read more

Climate | Energy

Development of the cement clinker production under the EU ETS

Overview and country level analysis from 2005 to 2017

This report summarizes the main trends and drivers of the cement sector in the time period 2005-2017 in the EU28 and provides a compilation of key figures on the cement clinker industry for selected countries. The report focuses on the developments during the third trading period of the EU ETS since 2013 and analyses the countries within the EU28 with the highest contribution to total emissions of...read more

Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Advancing regional structural policy

Demands and starting points for an ecologically sustainable, forward-looking and transformative structural policy

This policy paper addresses the question of why and how regional structural policy should be further developed in the face of far-reaching ecological challenges. In the focus of this policy paper are three principles: ecological sustainability, anticipation and transformation. This policy paper focusses on the German national funding system (GFS). To date, only some of the programmes in the GFS ha...read more

Chemicals, Waste | Resources, Water

Reducing environmental exposure to biocides through drift during application

Summary of two research projects on machinery for the application of biocides

From an environmental point of view, drift of biocidal products to non-target areas should be minimised as far as possible to reduce environmental exposure. Two research projects were commissioned by UBA to elaborate on possibilities to reduce drift to non-target areas during outdoor applications of biocidal products and to derive drift values for the exposure assessment of biocidal applications....read more

Chemicals, Soil | Land, Water

Reduction of environmental impact of biocides

Practical study of drift of biocide application equipment and development of drift mitigation measures

Within this project, large-scale drift measurements of biocidal applications with a high drift potential were carried out to evaluate the environmental impact and potential risk mitigation in more detail. These applications included, for example, the control of the oak processionary moth, the control of flying and crawling insects and the removal of algae on terraces and paths. Based on the result...read more

Climate | Energy

Technical approaches to removing methane from the atmosphere (methane removal)

Fact check and discussion

Against the background of the discussion on Carbon Dioxide Removal, the question arises as to whether there are also technologies to remove methane (CH4) from the atmosphere (Methane Removal), which is 30 times more harmful to the climate. Methane is converted into CO2 in the atmosphere by natural oxidation processes with an average residence time of 9 to 12 years. This factsheet presents the deve...read more