Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

International Governance for Environmentally Sound Supply of Raw Materials – Policy Options and Recommendations

With the demand for raw materials increasing worldwide and value chains spreading across different countries, international approaches can contribute to making mineral extraction adhere to environmental standards. This research report addresses how Germany can contribute, through international governance, to reduce the environmental impacts of mining activities outside its territory. It provides a...read more

Climate | Energy

Detecting money laundering in emissions trading

The empirical study examines the identification of the risks of money laundering in the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). The transaction patterns identified and suspicious cases perceived give sufficient grounds for suspected money laundering of at least 300 cases within a trading year.Six recommendations are made: (1) software-based analyses of the Union registry, (2) report suspicious...read more

Chemicals

Development of a method to determine the bioaccumulation of manufactured nanomaterials in filtering organisms (Bivalvia)

Next to properties like persistence and ecotoxicity, the determination of chemical substances to bioaccumulate in organisms is essential to understand potential harmful interactions with the environment. Existing methods to determine bioaccumulation are mainly addressing soluble organic chemicals. If these methods are also applicable to investigate bioaccumulation of nanomaterials remains an open...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Transformative environmental policy: Consistently promote and shape sustainable development

A guide for the BMU’s area of responsibility

Many environmental problems have been successfully resolved in recent decades. However some are persistent and prove difficult to solve, and new ones have been added. Environmental problems can be particularly persistent if their causes are closely linked to the way we do business, to central aspects of our society or to lifestyles that are perceived as attractive. This guide can help staff in the...read more

Air

Toxicological basic data for the derivation of EU-LCI values for five substances from building products

The subject of this project was the preparation of substance reports for the following compounds: dipropylene glycol mono n(t)-butyl ether (CAS No. 29911-28-2, 35884-42-5, 132739-31-2), 2-(2-hexyloxyethoxy)-ethanol (CAS No. 112-59-4), 1-propenylbenzene (CAS No. 637-50-3, 873-66-5), dipropylene glycol mono methyl ether acetate (CAS No. 88917-22-0) and hydroxyacetone (CAS No. 116-09-6). For these su...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Environmental offences in Germany 2016: a statistical analysis

Short version

This text summarises key findings of the German-language publication “Umweltdelikte 2016”. The publication provides a quantitative overview of the development and status of environmental crime in Germany between 2004 and 2016. For this publication, data from the two annual statistical sources that bring together data on (environmental) crime and criminal procedures in Germany were analysed; the Po...read more

Economy | Consumption

Influence of the service life of products in terms of their environmental impact: Establishing an information base and developing strategies against "obsolescence"

The aim of the study is to create a sound data basis for describing and assessing the phenomenon of obsolescence and the trends in achieved product lifespan and service life and, based on this, to develop strategies against obsolescence. The results show that electrical and electronic equipment is being replaced for many reasons. Material, functional, psychological and economic forms of obsolescen...read more

Climate | Energy

EU ETS up to 2030: Adjusting the Cap in light of the IPCC1.5°C Special Report and the Paris Agreement

Minimizing cumulative emissions is essential for reducing the risk of overshooting the warming limit of 1.5 degrees. This study commissioned by the German Environment Agency analyses the implications of this goal for the EU ETS and presents different scenarios for adjusting the linear reduction factor while staying within a cumulative emissions budget that is compatible with 1.5 degrees.read more