Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Health, Noise

Annoyance and sleep disturbance due to noise from air-source heat pumps and air conditioners

This report presents the results of a research project that investigated the influence of noise from air source heat pumps and air conditioners on sleep quality, daytime functioning and mood in two laboratory studies. It was found that typical noises from air-source heat pumps and air conditioners can affect sleep, concentration and mood in more than 40 test subjects. These results make it clear t...read more

Chemicals, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Consumer Survey on Biocidal Products and Environmental Risks

Biocides are used against various harmful organisms and can pose a potential risk to the environment. Risk mitigation measures provide necessary information on how to use biocidal products safely, especially for consumers products.During the online survey conducted in Germany in 2022 participants were asked how comprehensible and practicable they rate instructions found on biocidal products. The f...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Noise

Energy and transport vulnerability of households in the context of emissions trading: An analysis for 10 EU Member States

Energy and transport poverty and vulnerability are a central building block in the debate around many energy and climate policy issues and have gained firm hold in EU directives, regulations and documents. National governments need to establish indicators for both energy and transport poverty and vulnerability, to fulfil reporting requirements to the EU and to develop and target suitable policies...read more

Climate | Energy

Poster: Risks of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM)

SRM is supposed to mask global warming by enhancing the earth’s albedo, for example by stratospheric aerosol injection. Thus altering the whole climate system, SRM would impact most areas of life. The risks for geopolitics, mitigation deterrence, ecosystems, justice, food security and water availability are illustrated in this graphic.read more

Waste | Resources

Determination of food waste in Germany in 2020, fulfilment of the reporting obligation to the EU Commission in 2022 and derivation of recommendations for action

The study provides an up-to-date database on food waste in Germany for the 2020 reporting year as part of mandatory EU reporting. Food waste was determined in all five stages of the food chain. The methodology is based on the disposal of waste. The data is based on official waste statistics. The proportion of food waste per waste code (waste coefficient) was determined in order to calculate the ac...read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption, Air, Waste | Resources, Health, Transport, Noise, Soil | Land, Agriculture, Water, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Methodological Convention 3.2 for the Assessment of Environmental Costs

Value Factors

The new version of the UBA Handbook on Environmental Value Factors – the „Methodological Convention 3.2” – contains a partial update of the monetized environmental impacts published in the “Methodological Convention 3.1”, based on new value factors for greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions. A comprehensive update of all value factors – including components such as emission factors and utiliza...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework: Options for using certified removal units and funding mitigation activities

With the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), adopted in 2024, the EU established a voluntary framework for carbon removal certification, which includes criteria for the certification of removals, rules for the certification process and the recognition of certification schemes. This report discusses the options for how certified removal units may be used and what policy options are avail...read more

Climate | Energy, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

How to measure and quantify biogenic carbon removals

Requirements for a transparent monitoring system

Robust quantification of carbon dioxide removals (CDR) lies at the heart of any certification mechanism and is central for their functionality and environmental integrity. For the establishment of a Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) that was recently adopted, the EU Commission is currently conducting an inventory of the existing knowledge base. The objective of most certification mecha...read more