Publications | Umweltbundesamt

Climate | Energy

Solar Radiation Modification (SRM)

Concepts, Risks and Governance of intervention in the global climate system through solar geoengineering

Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) can neither conserve the current nor restore the pre-industrial climate. It would create an unpredictable new global climate with significant regional impacts. This brochure explains the risks of SRM for food security, justice and actual climate action. It explains the various SRM approaches and how they are supposed to work. It also describes the state of regula...read more

Waste | Resources

Optimisation potential with regard to the processing and recycling of waste oil

Evaluation of the collection categories with regard to their suitability for regeneration and the effects of changes in mobility and technology on the distribution and composition of the collection categories

On the one hand, the research project updated the calculation basis of the model used by the Federal Environment Agency to calculate waste oil flows, and on the other hand, analyses of waste oils were carried out to examine their reprocessability. Here, suitable waste oils from certain areas of application were identified only in individual cases for waste oils assigned to collection category 2 of...read more

Sustainability | Strategies | International matters, Digitalisation

Digitalisation and Sustainability in the European Union: Steps towards new governance approaches for a twin transition

Summary report of the project “Digitalisation and sustainability at EU level: Opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at EU level”

With the 'twin transition', the European Union aims to combine digitalisation and sustainability in order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The research project "Digitalisation and sustainability at EU level" examined the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The analysis showed that these two top...read more

Climate | Energy, Waste | Resources, Sustainability | Strategies | International matters

Integrated Assessment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Transformation Pathways towards a Resource-Efficient and Greenhouse-Gas-Neutral Germany

The “SDG Pathways” research project used the iSDG model, which was adapted to German data, to develop an assessment approach for modeling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in ambitious climate and resource scenarios up to 2050. The results show that an ambitious climate and resource policy improves the SDG targets overall. The study highlights the differences between dynamic...read more

Agriculture

Information about Techniques to consider in the Determination of BAT for the Intensive Rearing of Cattles

In the project techniques have been presented that can be ‘best available techniques’ (BAT) in cattle farming according to the German Immission Control Act criteria for BAT. The techniques are suitable for reducing environmental impacts. Since the new Industrial Emissions Directive (IED, EU 2024/1785) does not include cattle in its scope, the results will currently have no direct influence on the...read more

Climate | Energy

Scientific support for the design of a certification framework for Carbon Dioxide Removals in the EU

This report summarizes the results of the research project “Scientific support for the design of an EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework” that provided support to national policy makers during the CRCF negotiation process. read more

Climate | Energy, Economy | Consumption

Efficiency display of space heaters

This study develops recommendations on how efficiency indicators can be considered and designed as part of the amendment of the Ecodesign Regulation (EU) No 813/2013 on space heaters and combination heaters. Efficiency indicators should be used for the early detection of efficiency problems in heating appliances as well as efficiency-reducing defects. They are based on data that is mostly collecte...read more

Waste | Resources

Indicators in the area of sustainable resource use and circular economy

Principles and requirements for the development of consistent indicator systems

Today, a large number of resource and circular economy (CE) indicators based on different conceptual and methodological approaches can be found in scientific literature, studies, and policy programs. To facilitate the selection of suitable indicators, this position paper is divided into two parts: Part I presents guidelines for indicators and indicator systems that enable the classification of exi...read more