德國環境法法典化的立法計畫由來已久，前後歷經數個版本，1999 年首度因為聯邦在水資源以及自然保育方面缺乏充分的立法權限而宣告失敗。2006 年修改基本法後，聯邦政府終於取得所有重要環境領域的立法權限，乃重拾環境法典的推動工作。此次環境法典（一般稱為環境法典 2009）草案引進「整合的開發行為許可制度」，它是環境法典的核心所在，也是眾所矚目的焦點。它在程序方面將現行污染防制法和水法雙軌並行的許可程序合而為一，由一個主管機關，透過一個程序，做出一個涵蓋污染防制法和水法要求的決定；在實體方面，這個許可決定必須考慮環境負擔在各環境媒介間的移轉問題，必須對人類及環境整體維持一個高度的保護水準，也就是在審查該開發行為對環境的整體影響後作出決定；而在方法上，環境法典 2009 草案則是延續現行法的決定，授權行政機關就整合標準制訂一般性的規範以資遵循，而非透過整合條款及開放條款，授權行政機關個案決定。雖然環境法典 2009 草案的立法工作日前又告失敗，然而整合的開發行為許可制度所引發的爭執和討論仍然值得深入探討研究。

The Codification of German Environment Law has a very long history. All
these efforts failed in 1999 because the Federal Government was in lack of
sufficient legislative authority on Water Resources and Nature Conservation.Reform of the Federal System 2006 paved the way for the German Environmental Code. Federation now has the power to legislate all important environmental sectors. The ‘Integrated Authorization’ proposed by Draft Environmental Code (generally referred to as the Draft Environmental Code of 2009) combines the parallel two-track procedures derived from the existing Pollution Control Act and Water Act into one. By one competent authority and through one process, making a decision that covers the requirements from both Acts. As for the material aspects, this permit decision must take the burden on the environment that transfers within the inter-media into account and maintains a high level of protection for the overall effects on human beings and the environment as well; in other words, the permit decision is made after a thorough observation of the related project’s overall impact on the environment.
Methodologically speaking, Draft Environmental Code of 2009 ties in with the existing law and empowers the executive authorities to formulate general norms according to integration standards for follow, instead of through the integrated provision and open provision to empower the executive authorities to make decisions case by case. However, though after several times of modification,Federal Environmental Protection Department still officially announced the failure of Environment Code legislation on February 1st, 2009.