Umweltprüfung

Umweltprüfung is a term used in German-speaking contexts to describe processes that assess environmental aspects, impacts and compliance associated with organizations, projects or products. It can refer to formal environmental impact assessments conducted for planned projects as well as to audits of environmental performance, compliance with environmental laws, and overall environmental risk management within a company.

In practice, the term is used in several ways. Environmental impact assessment procedures, often called Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung (UVP), are formal processes required or recommended for many public or large-scale projects to evaluate potential significant effects on air, water, soil, flora and fauna, and to determine mitigation measures. More generally, Umweltprüfung can also denote environmental due diligence, internal or external environmental audits, and reviews of an organization’s environmental management practices, sometimes aligned with standards such as ISO 14001 or ISO 19011.

A typical Umweltprüfung involves defining scope and objectives, gathering data on environmental aspects, identifying applicable regulations, assessing compliance and risks, evaluating potential environmental impacts, proposing mitigation or improvements, and documenting findings in a report. Verification and follow-up actions—such as monitoring, corrective actions, and management reviews—are common components. The results support decision-making, risk reduction, regulatory compliance, and ongoing improvement of environmental performance.

Overall, Umweltprüfung encompasses both formal impact assessment procedures for projects and broader audits aimed at improving environmental stewardship within organizations.