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Quality over quantity – the felling of damaged timber in Germany is falling at a disproportionately high rate
According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, timber harvesting in Germany fell by 6.4% in 2025 compared with the previous year, to around 57.3 million m³. This marks a continuation of the trend observed since 2022.…
LÄNDER model: Improved data set thanks to the 2040 traffic forecast
The latest GWS Briefing 2026/7 documents the update to the LÄNDER model. Previous distance-based estimation methods used to map interregional supply chain linkages between the 16 federal states have been replaced by empirical transport…
The housing market is easing
Conditions for buying a home are improving in Germany. Although prices are again rising slightly (2025: +0.9%), the development of wages is stronger. Therefor the affordability is increasing. This trend is supported by the…
Decline in retail trade primarily affects small businesses
Whether it is increasing competition from online retailers and large foreign companies (e.g. Amazon, Shein, Temu), businesses closing due to a lack of successors, declining footfall in city centres or insolvencies – the number of…
The current GWS global trade projection up to 2050
The global trade model GINFORS – Global INdustry FORecasting System – is updated once a year. At the beginning of each year, an updated projection of global trade is available, which is incorporated into the German model INFORGE –…
Services in world trade
The majority of world trade is determined by the international exchange of goods. With increasing globalisation, but above all with increasing digitalisation, trade in services has increased significantly in recent years. In 2024, traded…
Export: It could have been worse!
The development of the German economy continues to be shaped by the successes of the manufacturing industry on export markets. Right now, things are not looking good: the US is responding to its (still) NATO allies with tariffs, threats…
Organic farming is growing, but not everywhere at the same rate: Where Germany stands in comparison to other European countries
Organic products have been gaining popularity in Germany for years, and the organic area has also increased significantly – but recently, this development has stalled. In 2024, the share of organic land in the total area used for…
Same Same but Different: Similarities and Differences in Regional Conditions for the Energy and Heating Transition
Decarbonising energy systems and transforming the heating sector require integrated, spatially sensitive planning. Regional conditions such as building stock, urban density, district heating, renewable potential etc. strongly shape…
What will be important in 2026? An outlook
2025 was a year full of change: with the change of power in the United States, there has been a U-turn in the way national and international politics are conducted. Trade policy was subject to unprecedented tariff sanctions on the part of…