The rapid growth of the world population - nearly six-fold over the last hundred years - combined with the rising number of technical installations especially in the industrialized countries has lead to ever tighter and more strained living spaces on our planet. Because ofthe inevitable processes oflife, man was at first an exploiter rather than a careful preserver of the environment. Environmental awareness with the intention to conserve the environment has grown only in the last few decades. Environmental standards have been defined and limit values have been set largely guided, however, by scientific and medical data on single exposures, while public opinion, on the other hand, now increasingly calls for astronger consideration of the more complex situations following combined exposures. Furthermore, it turned out that environmental standards, while necessarily based on scientific data, must also take into account ethical, legal, economic, and sociological aspects. A task of such complexity can only be dealt with appropriately in the framework of an inter disciplinary group."

A recently established technique termed pharming uses genetically modified plants and animals for the production of biopharmaceuticals. The present interdisciplinary study comprises an extended overview of the state of the art of pharming, as well as in depth analyses of the environmental risks and other ethical and legal issues of pharming. Public attitudes to pharming are investigated on the basis of an original survey in 15 countries worldwide. The study concludes with specific recommendations addressed towards science, industry and politics.

The setting of limit values for environmental noxae is essentially based on measurements and data from single exposures. To an increasing degree, however, there are demands also to consider combined exposures. Hence, in this study, the necessity and feasability of environmental standards for combined exposures have been examined from the scientific, medical, economic, legal, sociological and philosophical/ethical perspective. Starting from effect mechanisms, criteria have been established which, in spite of the complexity of the issues, enable us to set limit values in order to achieve given environmental quality targets. This study endeavours to reveal and explain gaps in knowledge and to point to possible solutions from the scientific and medical point of view. The results should support efforts to shape a practical legal framework and viable economic procedures for environmental standards on combined exposures, taking into consideration the standards and perceptions existing in our communities.

A recently established technique termed pharming uses genetically modified plants and animals for the production of biopharmaceuticals. The present interdisciplinary study comprises an extended overview of the state of the art of pharming, as well as in depth analyses of the environmental risks and other ethical and legal issues of pharming. Public attitudes to pharming are investigated on the basis of an original survey in 15 countries worldwide. The study concludes with specific recommendations addressed towards science, industry and politics.

Radioactive waste (above all highly radioactive wastes from nuclear installations) caused by research, medicine and technology must be disposed of safely. However both the strategies disputed for the disposal of radioactive waste as well as concrete proposals for choosing a location for final waste disposal are highly debatable.
An appropriate disposal must conform to both complex, technical requirements and fulfill the radio-biological conditions to appropriately protect man and nature. Ethical, legal and social conditions must also be considered. An interdisciplinary team from various, relevant fields compiled the current status-quo and developed criteria and strategies, which on the one hand meet the requirements of optimal warning and prevention of risk for present and future generations, and additionally on the other hand meet the needs of what current society agrees what is expected to be allowed.
This study can be understood as an advanced and continuing contribution to the corresponding scientific specialized debates, due to its interdisciplinary treatment. At the same time it serves as a fundamentally informing contribution to public and political debates, offering an easily comprehensible executive summary and precise content recommendations.

Das k}rzlich verabschiedete Umwelthaftungsgesetz wirft eine Vielzahl von umweltrechtlichen und umwelt-konomischen Fragen auf, z.B. bez}glich der - rechts- und umweltpolitischen Zielsetzung des Umwelthaftungsgesetzes, - der Wirksamkeit des Umwelthaftungsgesetzesals Anreiz zur Schadensverh}tung, - der Anreizkompatibilit{t der obligatorischen Umwelthaftpflicht-Versicherung, - der Grenzen der Versicherbarkeit von Umweltrisiken, - der Besonderheiten im Falle des Mitverschuldens des Gesch{digten und bei Summations- und Distanzsch{den, - der M-glichkeiten von Fondsl-sungen, Umweltgenossenschaften oder anderen kollektiven Schadenstragungssystemen und - der Rolle des Haftungsrechts im Kanon umweltpolitischer Instrumente. Das vorliegende Buch beleuchtet diese Fragen in einem interdisziplin{ren Dialog von Juristen und \konomen, der im Rahmen des Kollegs "Umweltstaat" der Gottlieb Daimler- und Carl Benz-Stiftung in den Jahren 1989 bis 1991 stattgefunden hat. Es bietet einenumfassenden ]berblick }ber die Probleme und Perspektiven des Haftungsrechts als Instrument des "Umweltstaats."