Archive press releases

In 2050, 80 per cent of all newly registered passenger cars on the road worldwide could be powered by alternative drivetrains, with the figure even rising to 100 per cent if ambitious climate targets are met. The increase in e-mobility is driving…

Poor collection rates for portable batteries, inadequate targets for lithium-ion batteries and a lack of incentives for those responsible to collect more waste batteries. An Oeko-Institut led study – in collaboration with Trinomics – for the…

Road freight transport in Germany emits about 40 million tons of CO2 annually, accounting for about a quarter of the total greenhouse gas emissions from transport. A further increase in road transport is forecasted. In order for freight transport…

Should you repair your broken vacuum cleaner or buy a new one? Should you replace your 10-year-old washing machine with a more efficient model? What about that faulty fridge – should you hand it in for recycling or have it repaired? The…

The German Football Association (DFB) today unveils its sustainability strategy for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, with environmental performance as one of its cornerstones alongside diversity, fair play and respect. The strategy,…

The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that new genetic engineering techniques such as genome editing and the resulting organisms that are created are covered by the GMO Directive. In a new position paper, the Oeko-Institut emphasises that…

The topic of manipulated testing results, or “circumvention” is currently exposed to the highest attention of the public and media, not only for the emission of cars (dieselgate) but also with regard to other EU legislation. For this reason the…

If products are not licensed for use in the European Union because of possible risks to human rights and the environment, German firms should not be selling them in other countries either. However, a new case study from the Oeko-Institut reveals…

The Chinese government recently issued new rules on the disposal of electric vehicle batteries. Among other things, they require manufacturers to ensure that transparent information is available about batteries’ charging capacity and component…

At present, road freight transport mainly runs on diesel, producing around 56 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in Germany annually. The figure is rising, so what can be done to make long-distance road haulage more climate-friendly? Finding answers…

In view of global climate change and air pollution problems in cities, there is growing pressure for action to be taken to reduce transport emissions and end this sector’s dependency on fossil fuels. Electric vehicles are a much-discussed option in…

Since the major accident at the Rana Plaza textile factory in Bangladesh in 2013 in which more than 1,100 people died, steps have been taken to improve the safety of workers in the country’s textile industry. For example, European manufacturers,…

At this very moment, somewhere in Latin America mercury is being used to mine gold – with severe impacts on human health and environmental quality. Somewhere in Africa, warlords are using child soldiers to fight for coltan, a mineral contained in…

From research rebel to scientific advisor to government, business and society – the past four decades have been quite a journey. To mark its 40th anniversary, the Oeko-Institut is launching a multimedia weblog – themed “Let’s make a wish!” – which…

To what extent are nuclear facilities at risk in crisis areas? Which factors are of relevance in this context? Are policy-makers, the media and society around the world aware of the threat – and do they dismiss it too easily? These are just some of…

The winners were awarded on March 7th at the international EuroShop fair in Düsseldorf. An appliance in each of five categories was awarded “ProCold winner 2017”: Vertical chilled storage cabinetsBeverage coolersIce-cream freezersVertical…

By adopting the Paris Agreement, the international community pledged to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has calculated that global carbon dioxide emissions must be limited…

Designing the route today to tomorrow’s sustainable raw material management – this is the Oeko-Institut’s ambition in presenting its raw material transition (Rohstoffwende) strategy in Berlin on 1 December. The key message: the broad spectrum of…

Getting more electric vehicles on the roads in Europe can significantly reduce CO2 emissions and air pollutants within the European Union. If the share of electric mobility in passenger road transport increases to 80 percent by 2050, the CO2…

75 raw materials, 11 sustainability criteria, 4 areas of need and 2 scenarios – the transition to a sustainable use of raw materials makes a detailed analysis necessary. For a future raw materials policy that is sustainable, Oeko-Institut has…