Facts about Germany 2015 2015 | Page 82

80 | 81 ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE that monitors the implementation of the energies, the main contributory factors to this framework climate convention is based in the are an increase in the efficient use of energy and Federal City Bonn. resources, and the smart use of regenerative raw materials. It a strategy that pays off twofold, be- An intact environment – pure air, clean water, cause on the one hand the impact on the envir- varied nature – is a prerequisite for a high qual- onment and climate declines, while on the other ity of life. Since 1994, environmental protection new fields of business and jobs are created. has been a national objective enshrined in the Basic Law. With regard to air and water quality, indicators have for years now evidenced considerable improvement. There has been a sharp INTERNET phur dioxide and nitrogen oxides – thanks as UNFCCC Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change well to the introduction of filters in coal-fired → unfccc.int fall in the emission of pollutants such as sul- power stations and catalytic converters in cars. There has also been a noticeable drop in the per capita consumption of drinking water – from a peak of 140 to around 120 litres a day. Germany is pursuing a strategy of combining economic growth and environmental protection with a view to sustainable economics. In addition to the development of renewable BMUB Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety → bmub.bund.de BUND Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland/Friends of the Earth Germany → bund.net In Germany, wind power and solar energy are the most important and inexpensive renewable sources of energy