In this anniversary booklet, we give you a glimpse behind the scenes: how everything began in the 1970s, when spray cans still contained CFC and the Club of Rome made the world aware of the "limits to growth". What's more, discover how we are shaping the environmental label to be future-proof and how we have our sights set on the next generation. Quelle: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de
Air conditioning systems for passenger cars in the EU must switch to a new refrigerant for the sake of climate protection. However, UBA is not the only one to believe that many car manufacturers are backing the wrong horse. The new refrigerant R1234yf can ignite during accidents and hydrofluoric acid may form. This is what tests commissioned by UBA and the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), and others, have shown. Car occupants and rescue workers in particular may be potentially at risk. After having reviewed the KBA's tests, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre nevertheless sees no serious risk and fully disregards results from other studies. UBA finds this incomprehensible. Quelle: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de
Meat consumption has come under criticism in recent years. Meat substitutes are becoming increasingly popular in Germany and could be an alternative. In a study entitled "Meat of the Future", the UBA has now examined the effects of the three emerging meat alternatives - plant-based meat substitutes, edible insects and invitro meat - on the environment and health, and what role they could play in the diet of the future. According to the study, plant-based meat substitutes score best from an environmental perspective. Compared to beef, its production generates more than 90% less greenhouse gases and uses many times less water and land. Insect-based meat substitutes fare somewhat worse. The environmental and health impacts of in-vitro meat are difficult to assess so far. More research is needed here to really be able to produce a "clean meat" for the mass market. Quelle: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de
With the "Fit for 55" package, the EU's energy and climate policy instruments were aligned with the new climate target for 2030 (to reduce emissions by 55 % compared to 1990). One main feature of the Fit for 55 package is the strengthening of the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This factsheet outlines the key aspects for the existing European Emissions Trading System for stationary installations and aviation (EU ETS 1), which will be extended to include maritime transport from 2024. In addition, changes to the associated Market Stability Reserve (MSR 1) are presented. A separate factsheet has been prepared on the creation of a new emissions trading system, in particular for buildings and road transport (EU ETS 2). Quelle: umweltbundesamt.de
This document presents central messages and recommendations for successfully shaping structural change towards a Green Economy. The document is a result oft he RFEOPLAN-project "Ökologischer Strukturwandel" (FKZ 3716 14 101 0). Its intended audience are experts and interested laypersons. In addition to general information regarding ecological structural change, especially the automotive industry and basic chemicals are taken into focus. Quelle: www.umweltbundesamt.de
Environmental requirements in tendering procedures for buses are intended to reduce the significant pollutant, greenhouse gas and noise emissions occasioned by buses, particularly in urban environments and areas in need of protection. Hence the requirements recommended in this guide apply to buses used for urban transport, but can also be used for interurban and long-distance buses. These requirements apply to all buses with internal combustion engines (i.e. conventional buses), electric buses, and hybrid buses. Quelle: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/
This guide helps to procure eco-friendly paper wall coverings made from wallpaper base in accordance with DIN 6730 and ingrain wallpaper in accordance with DIN 6730. Eco-friendly products are e.g. (partly) made out of recycled paper and no formaldehyde and other harmful substances are to be used.
Germany made a commitment to the conservation of natural resources through the Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess). The German Environment Agency supports the implementation of ProgRess through a range of measures, including the production of this report on the use of natural resources in Germany, which is being published for the third time after 2016 and 2018. The report analyses new figures on the interrelationships of raw material extraction, raw material trade, the role of the economy and consumption. It also covers environmental impacts of raw material extraction and other natural resources. Finally, a "Special" looks at the use of raw materials in the future. Quelle: www.umweltbundesamt.de
In 2020, the European Commission has announced to propose a Sustainable Product Policy for the EU which shall ensure that the performance of front-runners in sustainability progressively becomes the norm. In addition, the European Commission has re-emphasised the necessity to significantly improve the effectiveness of the current Ecodesign framework for energy-related products. With this paper, we present an initial outline of a policy approach which we call the "EU front-runner approach". The approach aims at installing a regulatory framework which enables a semi-automated, progressive adaptation of ecodesign minimum requirements for products. It builds on performance levels of the best products available on the market by aggregating information in a database. The "front-runner approach" could first be applied to progressively adapt product-related minimum energy-efficiency requirements. This way it would serve as a starting point to introduce this concept to the EU policy arena. While the approach can be applied for energy efficiency, it is neither limited to energy-related products nor to energy-related requirements. It can be applied to the wide range of non-energy related products within the scope of the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) as well as to non-energy-related requirements, such as minimum requirements for durability, reparability, recyclability and recycled content. Quelle: Scientific opinion paper
This publication provides an overview about data of the German PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register). For each pollutant, the number of reported facilities and their releases to air, water and land and their off-site transfer in waste water are clearly displayed. Data for industrial sectors of the current reporting year 2021 are summarized in tables while their developments since 2007 are presented in diagrams. Detailed information and search options within the PRTR are available at www.Thru.de. Quelle: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de