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Found 127 results.

Widening the European Green Deal’s perspective towards a sustainable Europe

The European Green Deal, published by the European Commission in 2019, represents a new and ambitious approach to put environment and sustainability at the heart of European policy. Its ambitions are high, yet the planned measures might not be sufficient to actually meet them. The report analyzes the European Green Deal from the perspective of the German Environment Agency and places it in the context of the global challenge of achieving the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. In addition to necessary measures in the thematic fields of the European Green Deal, the report also addresses the structural adjustments needed as key levers to achieve the desired goals. The report concludes that the European Green Deal is an important step forward, but that further efforts beyond those described there are still needed in order to achieve a sustainable Europe. Veröffentlicht in Texte | 20/2021.

EU Emissions Trading: The Need for Cap Adjustment in Response to External Shocks and Unexpected Developments?

The effectiveness of an emissions trading system in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is mainly due to the magnitude of the specified emission cap. Assuming sufficient control, a quantitative emission target defined in such a way is quasi automatically achieved by the limited allocation of emission allowances. In functioning markets, this coincides with a somewhat higher allowance price as a scarcity signal for emissions. The cap setting in emissions trading is therefore a central political control mechanism. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the system boundaries in terms of geography, sectors and time and the rules for internationally flexible mechanisms and banking should be observed. EU ETS is a partial system that has so far covered about half of the emissions. Veröffentlicht in Climate Change | 02/2013.

Analysis and assessment of the design of an offsetting system for international aviation

This discussion paper assesses how robust accounting could be implemented under the Paris Agreement in order to avoid double counting between nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (⁠ CORSIA ⁠) implemented under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The paper focuses on how host countries of carbon-offset projects can account for the use of offset credits under CORSIA by reporting 'adjustments' in the 'structured summaries' of their biennial transparency reports prepared under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The paper finds that several accounting approaches considered in the international negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement for international transfers of mitigation outcomes between countries cannot not be implemented in the specific context of CORSIA where the offset credits are used by airline operators or may not robustly avoid double counting. The paper identifies nine options for how the use of offset credits under CORSIA could be accounted for by host countries and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The paper also evaluates options to account for single-year targets in the context of CORSIA, as well as options for consistent consideration of Global Warming Potentials used under CORSIA and nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. The findings of the paper are important for the ongoing negotiations under the Paris Agreement on the rules for international transfers of mitigation outcomes under Article 6 and the implementation of 'structured summaries' under Article 13. Veröffentlicht in Climate Change | 35/2020.

Updating the Waste Prevention Programme: Preparing the foundations for updating the Waste Prevention Programme based on an analysis and evaluation of the implementation status

The waste prevention program (WPP) from 2013 must be evaluated every 6 years and updated if necessary. The review and evaluation of the implementation of the WPP took place within the scope of the project. Based on the analysis results for the implementation of the WPP at federal, state and municipal level and an assessment of existing prevention potentials, concrete proposals for a possible further development and updating of the program on prioritized waste streams and corresponding priority prevention approaches were developed. In addition, structural adjustment and change needs of the WPP were worked out and further research was shown. Veröffentlicht in Texte | 204/2020.

Offset credit supply potential for CORSIA

This discussion paper assesses how robust accounting could be implemented under the Paris Agreement in order to avoid double counting between nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (⁠ CORSIA ⁠) implemented under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The paper focuses on how host countries of carbon-offset projects can account for the use of offset credits under CORSIA by reporting 'adjustments' in the 'structured summaries' of their biennial transparency reports prepared under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The paper finds that several accounting approaches considered in the international negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement for international transfers of mitigation outcomes between countries cannot not be implemented in the specific context of CORSIA where the offset credits are used by airline operators or may not robustly avoid double counting. The paper identifies nine options for how the use of offset credits under CORSIA could be accounted for by host countries and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The paper also evaluates options to account for single-year targets in the context of CORSIA, as well as options for consistent consideration of Global Warming Potentials used under CORSIA and nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. The findings of the paper are important for the ongoing negotiations under the Paris Agreement on the rules for international transfers of mitigation outcomes under Article 6 and the implementation of 'structured summaries' under Article 13. Veröffentlicht in Climate Change | 37/2020.

Options for Improving the Emission Unit Eligibility Criteria under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation

This discussion paper assesses how robust accounting could be implemented under the Paris Agreement in order to avoid double counting between nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (⁠ CORSIA ⁠) implemented under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The paper focuses on how host countries of carbon-offset projects can account for the use of offset credits under CORSIA by reporting 'adjustments' in the 'structured summaries' of their biennial transparency reports prepared under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The paper finds that several accounting approaches considered in the international negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement for international transfers of mitigation outcomes between countries cannot not be implemented in the specific context of CORSIA where the offset credits are used by airline operators or may not robustly avoid double counting. The paper identifies nine options for how the use of offset credits under CORSIA could be accounted for by host countries and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The paper also evaluates options to account for single-year targets in the context of CORSIA, as well as options for consistent consideration of Global Warming Potentials used under CORSIA and nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. The findings of the paper are important for the ongoing negotiations under the Paris Agreement on the rules for international transfers of mitigation outcomes under Article 6 and the implementation of 'structured summaries' under Article 13. Veröffentlicht in Climate Change | 36/2020.

Avoiding double counting between CORSIA and Nationally Determined Contributions – Options for accounting under the Paris Agreement

This discussion paper assesses how robust accounting could be implemented under the Paris Agreement in order to avoid double counting between nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (⁠ CORSIA ⁠) implemented under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The paper focuses on how host countries of carbon-offset projects can account for the use of offset credits under CORSIA by reporting 'adjustments' in the 'structured summaries' of their biennial transparency reports prepared under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. The paper finds that several accounting approaches considered in the international negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement for international transfers of mitigation outcomes between countries cannot not be implemented in the specific context of CORSIA where the offset credits are used by airline operators or may not robustly avoid double counting. The paper identifies nine options for how the use of offset credits under CORSIA could be accounted for by host countries and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. The paper also evaluates options to account for single-year targets in the context of CORSIA, as well as options for consistent consideration of Global Warming Potentials used under CORSIA and nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. The findings of the paper are important for the ongoing negotiations under the Paris Agreement on the rules for international transfers of mitigation outcomes under Article 6 and the implementation of 'structured summaries' under Article 13. Veröffentlicht in Climate Change | 38/2020.

Biota monitoring and the Water Framework Directive - can normalization overcome shortcomings in sampling strategies?

Fliedner, Annette; Rüdel, Heinz; Teubner, Diana; Buchmeier, Georgia; Lowis, Jaqueline; Heiss, Christiane; Wellmitz, Jörg; Koschorreck, Jan Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. (2016), online 18. August 2016 We compare the results of different monitoring programs regarding spatial and temporal trends of priority hazardous substances of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Fish monitoring data for hexachlorobenzene (HCB), mercury (Hg), and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) sampled in German freshwaters between the mid-1990s and 2014 were evaluated according to the recommendations of the 2014 adopted WFD guidance document on biota monitoring, i.e., normalization to 5 % lipid content (HCB) or 26 % dry mass (Hg, PFOS) and adjustment to trophic level (TL) 4. Data of the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) (annual pooled samples of bream) were compared to monitoring data of the German federal states (FS), which refer to individual fish of different species. Significant decreasing trends (p < 0.01) were detected for Hg in bream (Abramis brama) sampled by both, the ESB and the FS between 1993 and 2013 but not for FS samples comprising different fish species. Data for HCB and PFOS were more heterogeneous due to a smaller database and gave no consistent results. Obviously, normalization could not compensate differences in sampling strategies. The results suggest that the data treatment procedure proposed in the guidance document has shortcomings and emphasize the importance of highly standardized sampling programs in trend monitoring or whenever results between sites have to be compared. doi:10.1007/s11356-016-7442-2

Nutzung von Geräten in nuklearmedizinischen Einrichtungen bei radiologischen Notfallsituationen mit hohen bis sehr hohen Körperaktivitäten im Rahmen des REMPAN-Netzwerkes - Vorhaben 3609S60012

Zielsetzung: Die für Inkorporationsüberwachung eingesetzten Messstellen sind für den Nachweis von geringen Körperaktivitäten ausgelegt. In radiologischen Notfallsituationen müssen bei einer größeren Anzahl von Personen in kurzer Zeit hohe Körperaktivitäten bestimmt werden. Daher wird für solche Messungen der Einsatz von in der Nuklearmedizin verwendeten Messgeräten wie z.B. Gamma-Kameras erwogen. Gamma-Kameras und andere Messsonden werden im medizinischen Betrieb für Messungen bei hohen Körperaktivitäten eingesetzt und sind im Allgemeinen für die Diagnostik oder die prä- und posttherapeutische Dosimetrie konzipiert. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, diese Geräte auf ihre prinzipielle Eignung zur Abschätzung von Körperdosen aus Inkorporationen in radiologischen Notfallsituationen und die Möglichkeit zur Identifikation von Radionukliden zu überprüfen und anhand einiger relevanter Radionuklide Vorgaben zu Kalibrierungen, Anpassungen und ggf. erforderlichen Umrüstungen zu machen. Ergebnisse: Die Gamma-Kameras detektieren ohne Kollimator Aktivitäten von 100 Bq bis zu etwa 5 MBq, mit Kollimatoren von etwa 100 kBq bis zur maximal eingesetzten Aktivität von 0,8 GBq linear, so dass sich der Erfassungsbereich der Kameras über einen Bereich von nahezu 7 Größenordnungen erstreckt. Die Empfindlichkeit der Gamma-Kameras ohne Kollimation ist gegenüber der Detektion der Aktivität mit HighEnergy Kollimator etwa um den Faktor 100 erhöht. Nuklidspezifische Photopeaks im Energiebereich zwischen 50 keV und 700 keV sind identifizierbar. Ein Uptake-Meßplatz erfasst Photonen in einem ähnlichen Energiebereich wie die Gamma-Kameras bei Aktivitäten von 0,05 MBq bis 50 MBq linear. Allerdings ist das Gesichtsfeld dieses Messplatzes durch die Kollimation stark begrenzt. Dosisleistungsmesssonden auf Zählrohrbasis bzw. vergleichbare Dosisleistungsmessgeräte können nur in Fällen höhergradiger Inkorporationen und Kontaminationen (Körperaktivitäten > 10 MBq)) eingesetzt werden. Eine energie- und damit nuklidspezifische Datenerfassung ist ebenso wie eine Folgedosisabschätzung auf diesem Wege nicht möglich, so dass diese Geräte in erster Linie zur Vorab-Messung eingesetzt werden könnten. Schlussfolgerungen: Der Einsatz von zählrohrbasierten Messsonden zur Messung von Inkorporationen ist nur eingeschränkt möglich. Gamma-Kameras oder die szintillatorbasierten Messsonden sind ohne größere Umrüstungen zur Detektion sowohl kleinerer als auch großer Körperaktivitäten für Photonen im Energiebereich zwischen 50 und 700 keV einsetzbar. Dann ist allerdings auch eine Identifikation der Nuklide theoretisch möglich. Die Begrenzung der erfassbaren Photonenenergien ist die entscheidende Einschränkung für die Einsetzbarkeit der diagnostischen Geräteausstattung nuklearmedizinischer Einrichtungen in radiologischen Notfallsituationen. Objective: For monitoring of potentially incorporated radioactive materials normally whole body counters are used which are optimized for measuring low levels of radioactivity. In radiological emergency situations higher incorporated activities have to be estimated in a short time in many persons. Therefore, the use of the equipment in nuclear medicine facilities (e.g. gamma cameras) could be considered. Gamma cameras and other devices applied in nuclear medicine are optimized for measuring high activities; they are generally designed for diagnostics or pre- and posttherapeutic dosimetry. The aim of this study is to test these devices in radiological emergencies for their general suitability for absorbed dose estimates after incorporations. In addition it should be checked if these devices are useful for identification of radionuclides. For the most relevant radionuclides a manual should be developed for calibration, adjustment and any other necessary conversion of the equipment. Results: Gamma cameras are able to detect a wide range of activity linearly (without collimator: 100 Bq to 5 MBq, with collimator: 100 kBq to a maximum of 0.8 GBq) so that nearly 7 orders of magnitude are covered. The sensitivity of gamma cameras without collimation is higher by a factor of about 100 as compared to measurements with a high energy collimator. Photo peaks can be identified in an energy range between 50 keV and 700 keV. The uptake device registers photons linearly in a similar energy range as gamma cameras for an activity range between 0.05 MBq and 50 MBq. The field of view, however, is limited by the collimation. Dose rate meters can only be used in cases of severe incorporation and/or contamination (activity > 10 MBq). An estimate of the photon energies and thus a nuclide specific distinction is not possible as well as a subsequent dose assessment; these devices should primarily be used for a preliminary measurement. Conclusion: The use of dose rate meters for incorporation measurements is limited in radiologic emergencies. Gamma cameras or scintillation based detectors are capable to identify and quantify small and high incorporated activities in the energy range between 50 and 700 keV without major modifications. The limitation of the detectable photon energy is the most critical constraint on the applicability of the diagnostic instrumentation in nuclear medicine facilities in radiological emergency situations.

Widening the European Green Deal's perspective towards a sustainable Europe

The European Green Deal, published by the European Commission in 2019, represents a new and ambitious approach to put environment and sustainability at the heart of European policy. Its ambitions are high, yet the planned measures might not be sufficient to actually meet them. The report analyzes the European Green Deal from the perspective of the German Environment Agency and places it in the context of the global challenge of achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals. In addition to necessary measures in the thematic fields of the European Green Deal, the report also addresses the structural adjustments needed as key levers to achieve the desired goals. The report concludes that the European Green Deal is an important step forward, but that further efforts beyond those described there are still needed in order to achieve a sustainable Europe. Quelle: www.umweltbundesamt.de

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