Representative survey on environmental awareness by the Federal Ministry of Environment and UBA: 91 per cent said that life would be better if they did not have to depend on a car for mobility. read more
Most Germans want to be less dependent on their car
Emissions trading: Emissions reductions in Germany only minimal
The roughly 1,900 fixed installations participating in emissions trading in 2016 had emissions worth 453 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents, or 0.6 per cent less than in 2015. The lower emissions in the emissions trading sector thus did not offset the 3.8-per cent increase over 2015 in Germany’s transport sector emissions which the UBA had calculated in its short-term forecast. read more
Future-fit city: Much more money needed for buses and trains
Air pollution, noise, traffic jams, too few green spaces – these are the problems that plague many people living in cities. In a new publication UBA paints a picture of how the future-fit city might look. read more
Land take: Make goals binding
An area of 66 hectares of new land is consumed every day in Germany, with severe negative effects on the environment. UBA recommends a fixed quota regime for land and a certificate trading system. read more
Climate footprint 2016: Transport sector and cool weather cause spike in emissions
Nearly 4 million tons more greenhouse gases emissions than in 2015 – transport sector tops 1990 levels read more
Deep sea mining: Germany lobbying for high environmental standards
The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Germany Environment Agency (UBA) are campaigning for systematic environmental protection in deep sea mining. At an expert workshop event in Berlin, the two authorities made an appeal for a comprehensive assessment of both the chances and risks of future deep sea mining. read more
"Wounds" have healed – Water quality of mine lakes has good status
Many mine lakes have the potential to develop very good water quality and they are often cleaner than natural lakes. However, lignite remains the dirtiest of all sources of energy. In 2014 alone lignite caused environmental damage in the amount of 16.8 billion euros. A phase-out of lignite-fired electricity is urgently needed. read more
Heat pumps and the like: low-frequency hum annoys a growing number of people
Complaints about low-frequency noise – the so-called humming phenomenon – have risen sharply in recent years. A new guide by UBA provides advice on the ideal installation of heat pumps and the like. read more