The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is currently conducting a debate about large-scale engineering projects, also known as geo-engineering. The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) position on this is cautious for reasons of preventative protection of the environment. ”There is no technology at present which can retroactively contain global warming”, said UBA President Jochen Flasbarth. In p... read more
Breezing through the summer - even without air conditioning
Buildings might soon have a considerably lower electricity demand to meet their cooling needs. Savings of 38 percent by 2030 are possible, according to results of a study commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). “There are already a number of proven measures in place today that prevent buildings from heating up. In many cases active cooling with an air conditioning system has become u... read more
World Environment Day 2011: Preserve forests, use them sustainably!
Germany’s forest: a source of wood, clean water, purifier of the air we breathe, and provider of protection against avalanches and floods. All this adds up to a range of services of which we make use almost daily - sometimes even free of charge. Nevertheless, mankind has leaned all too heavily on our forests. Whilst the Middle Ages saw large-scale clearing, the 20th century witnessed air pollution... read more
Enhanced protection against substances of very high concern
The European REACH Regulation obliges companies to register substances of very high concern with the European Chemicals Agency starting 1 June 2011. President Jochen Flasbarth of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is calling upon companies to carry out an exacting review of their product range. “Substances with these properties do not belong in the products we use in our daily lives. They must b... read more
Endosulfan to become ”Dirty Number 22“
A worldwide ban on production and application of the chemical endosulfan in pesticides is about to be introduced, in accordance with a resolution passed by the Fifth Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, or POPs. President Jochen Flasbarth of the Federal Environment Agency says, “The perseverance of our experts has paid off. This decision prevents... read more
Put out the fire, please - without the poison though
The grace period for application of PFOS-based fire extinguishing foams ends on 27 June 2011. PFOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, is an extremely persistent chemical. This acid accumulates in organisms and is toxic. PFOS was used for many years in fire extinguishing foams and was thereby introduced into the environment. The chemical can be traced in every ecosystem, even in remote regions such... read more
Federal Environment Agency: The sky over the Ruhr is blue again!
“The sky over the Ruhr region must be blue again.” This demand made by Willy Brandt during a speech on 28 April 1961 in the Bonn Beethoven Hall is rightfully seen as the start of environmentally conscious political thinking in Germany. In so doing, Brandt brought a regional problem previously ignored into the focus of sociopolitical debate- long before there were notions of ’environmental protecti... read more
Proactive noise protection saves money and trouble
Road traffic remains the greatest source of noise, according to the latest noise survey by the Federal Environment Agency, which polled 70,000 participants. The survey says that road traffic noise and aviation noise are the most annoying. "Efforts to protect the public from traffic noise are not yet adequate in Germany. There are still too many people who suffer from excessive noise levels. There... read more
