Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Pathways to a sustainable financial economy

The sustainability transformation of the financial sector is a key prerequisite for the transformation of the real economy. This report therefore comprises 15 proposals in four central dimensions towards a sustainable financial sector in Germany: transformatitive relevance, transparency on the sustainability of financial products, sustainability risk management, and impact measurement of sustainab...read more

Chemicals

Do new generations of active pharmaceuticals for human use require an adaption of the environmental risk assessment? - Part II: Case studies

In view of the advanced development of new specific active pharmaceutical ingredients, the question arises as to whether the established standard procedures for the environmental risk assessment in the context of marketing authorization are still sufficient to adequately cover relevant effects on environmental organisms. The focus of this project is on specific test strategies for substances from...read more

Chemicals, Waste | Resources, Health, Soil | Land, Water

Research and Monitoring Activities on Litter in Groundwater, Rivers, Lakes, Transitional Waters and Soil

The report is based on the results of a questionnaire on current and planned research and monitoring activities on waste in various environmental compartments, which was distributed to European countries via the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). It analyses current and planned research and monitoring activities as well as reduction strategies in relation to waste in water and soil. The report high...read more

Chemicals, Waste | Resources

Dialogues on the appropriate management of substances of concern in the circular economy

The project "Dialogues on the appropriate management of substances of concern in the circular economy" aimed to develop a common understanding of the challenges at the interface between chemicals and waste legislation among the stakeholders involved. Furthermore, a current status quo was established on the basis of a literature review. Three workshops were organised as part of the project to addre...read more

Chemicals, Waste | Resources

Strengthening the recycling of technical plastics in the view of increasing substance legislation requirements using the example of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) - KUREA

English Summary

Although there is a considerable potential for the recycling of technical plastics from ELV and WEEE in Germany, the status is deficient and targeted measures are needed to develop appropriate capacities.The report provides a comprehensive status quo analysis on the legal framework, material requirements, a description of the most relevant types of plastics as well as interfering and polluting sub...read more

Chemicals

Intermediate uses of petroleum and coal substances - a regulatory issue?

Environmental emission assessment of substances of very high concern from petroleum and coal fractions in intermediates

This study explores the intermediate uses of 53 petroleum and coal stream (PetCo) substances, focusing on 15 marker constituents with properties of concern such as carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reprotoxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, and endocrine disruption. It investigates the potential for these constituents to transfer during intermediate use into the new substance or product and into th...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Setting a Standard for GHG-Neutrality

How to improve the new ISO on carbon neutral organizations and products

In late 2023, the International Standard Organization (ISO) published a new standard on carbon neutrality: ISO 14068-1. It provides terminology, principles and requirements for GHG-neutral organizations and products, agreed by international experts. However, it contains significant shortcomings as it allows GHG-neutrality claims to be made using  high fossil based GHG emissions and environment-dam...read more

Climate | Energy

Supply and demand in the ETS 2

Assessment of the new EU ETS for road transport, buildings and other sectors

The study looks at the functioning of the new emission trading system for road transport, buildings, and small installations (ETS 2) in the EU. It explains the rules governing the supply of allowances including the functioning of the market stability reserve (MSR) and the price containment mechanisms. Furthermore, it assesses the balance of supply and demand as well as auctioning revenues under di...read more