Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Soil | Land

Quo vadis soil protection in the Alps? Final report of the UFOPLAN project: Assessment of the Alpine Convention Soil Conservation Protocol and preparation/implementation of an international conference

In many countries, the Alpine Convention’s Soil Conservation Protocol is a requirement “neglected” by public administration and by society, as accountability is spread across many fields of legislation. Especially in the Alps, soil conservation is of great significance, as soil is a limited, non-renewable and endangered resource. During the German Presidency of the Alpine Convention (2015-2016), a...read more

Water

Recommendations for reducing micropollutants in waters

Residues of medicinal products, pesticides, biozides and other chemicals can adversely affect the environment and human health already in low concentrations. These micropollutants are increasingly detected in our waters not least due to improved analytics. Precautionary measures are needed to prevent future stresses on our waterbodies. Therefore, the German Environment Agency (UBA) has analysed en...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Better Regulation through more Transparency in Regulatory Impact Assessments

A future-oriented environmental policy requires a comprehensive, balanced and scientifically sound presentation of regulatory impacts on both the national and European level. This is because a comprehensive and objective presentation of regulatory impacts is foundational in ensuring that interests such as environmental protection or social justice are given appropriate weight in the democratic opi...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Focus on the future: 3D printing

Trend report for assessing the environmental impacts

Dental bridges, aircraft components, bodies and spare parts already come from the 3D printer. 3D printers are conquering more and more industries. Many people even think that 3D printing will usher in a new era of production. This trend report systematically deals with the developments in 3D printing and examines the opportunities and risks to the environment for the various fields of application,...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

System analysis for environmental policy – System thinking through system dynamic modelling and policy mixing as used in the SimRess project

Models, potential and long-term scenarios for resource efficiency (SimRess)

Systems analysis could be an essential approach to shape resource efficiency policy in a sustainable long term perspective. Various actors and stakeholders with partly opposing interests form part of a highly interconnected system. The integration of causal chains, feedback loops and delays within the system are therefore central to identify the right leverage point for resource efficiency policy....read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption

Forms and Channels of Carbon Leakage

This paper structures and summarises some of the debates around carbon leakage: Carbon leakage as a problem for the effectiveness of unilateral (or non-harmonised) climate policy, for its economic efficiency in terms of reducing emissions at least cost, for the competitiveness of businesses, and as a possible contradiction for the emerging discussion on radical innovations and industrial restructu...read more

Soil | Land

NIFLUM – Nitrogen Flux Method Evaluation – Outcomes and Recommendations of an International Expert Workshop

Targeted ammonia emission reductions can only be achieved through efficient measures in the political process. At an international expert workshop, problems arising in the derivation of emission factors for NH3 and nitrogen oxides after N-fertiliser application were discussed. An overview of this issue is given in the report.Eine zielgenaue Ammoniak-Emissionsminderung  kann nur durch effiziente Ma...read more

Waste | Resources

Best Practice Municipal Waste Management

Information pool on approaches towards a sustainable design of municipal waste management and supporting technologies and equipment

The need to curb natural resources depletion and climate change and secure a healthy living space for an ever growing human society has become a global challenge which increases the demand to minimise waste generation and manage arising wastes effectively and sustainably on a worldwide scale. This task applies to all countries independently from their status of development. Many countries are ther...read more