Press | Umweltbundesamt

The EU Commission will award prizes within the framework of EMW in two categories to the municipalities with the most innovative and ambitious programmes. An international jury draws up a shortlist of finalists. Two German cities are among the finalists this year. read more

Pharmaceuticals, detergents, pesticides etc. – ever more chemicals are polluting our waters. The Trace Substance Strategy of the German Federal Government focuses on preventing further inputs of such trace substances to the aquatic environment. UBA will move ahead on work to implement the Trace Substance Strategy at a newly established Federal Centre for Trace Substances. read more

The Chiemsee, Ammersee, Tegernsee, and Starnberger See are a few of the 14 impressive alpine lakes in Germany that enjoy popularity beyond the borders of the Alpine foothills. Clear, cold and comparatively oligotrophic water is their common property. Excessive algal growth is rare. read more

Germany produced about 739 million tonnes of greenhouse gases emissions in 2020 – roughly 70 million tonnes (8.7%) less than in 2019. These are the conclusions drawn from emissions data from the German Environment Agency (UBA) which were submitted according to the specifications of the Federal Climate Protection Act for the first time. The cut in emissions achieved is the largest since 1990. read more

Airborne ultrafine particles can be harmful to human health. A study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) at Frankfurt Airport has demonstrated that ultrafine particle (UFP) load in the vicinity of airports can be significantly elevated. Engine emissions are shown to be the major cause, contributing 90 per cent of total load. read more

The state and its administration have an important role to play in protecting the climate. That is why many public authorities have set themselves the goal of becoming greenhouse gas-neutral. The guide describes the path to a greenhouse gas-neutral administration with the help of nine stages, gives recommendations and makes implementation on site easier with many practical examples. read more

Measured concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 2020 exceeded the annual mean limit of 40 µg/m³ of air at only about 3 to 4 percent of measuring stations located near road traffic, compared to 21 percent in 2019. Nitrogen dioxide pollution overall continues to decline throughout Germany. read more

The consequences of climate change pose economic risks for companies. A recent study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows that only about half of the DAX 30 companies report publicly on these risks. None of the 100 largest companies studied provides information on whether the corporate strategy is resilient to stronger climate change. read more