More low emission zones and a crackdown on combustion engines? Federal government must act after court judgement

In its latest ruling, the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg ordered the German government to launch immediate programmes for more climate protection in transport and buildings. In doing so, the court is targeting the sectors in which Germany has failed to meet its climate targets in recent years. The decision follows legal action by the German Environmental Aid Organisation (DUH) and the environmental association BUND. 

After failing to meet the climate targets, the government did not act to achieve a better balance next year. Instead, it planned to amend the law so that the different sectors would no longer have to achieve their respective climate targets individually, but only the overall balance of the different sectors would be decisive. 

This decision shows the government's enormous ignorance of the relevance of climate targets. In the transport sector in particular, a reduction in CO2 emissions could be achieved with measures that are easy to implement. Instead of accepting the decision of the High Administrative Court and taking action, the government has announced that it will appeal against the judgement. It refers to the amendment of the law, which would render the judgement invalid, as the failure of the individual sectors would then no longer play a role. 

The plaintiffs, DUH and BUND, welcomed the judgement and called for immediate action by the federal government, for example in the form of a speed limit. In doing so, they emphasise the need for concrete and implementable measures that can have a direct impact on emission levels.

In addition to the speed limit, more environmental and zero-emission zones would also be one way of reducing the transport sector's carbon footprint. Another option would be to tighten the rules in the existing low emission zones. Compared to many other countries, the rules in Germany are quite lax. Diesel vehicles with Euro standard 4 are still permitted. These not only produce particulate matter and nitrogen oxide, which contributes to high levels of air pollution, but also greenhouse gases that are harmful to the climate due to the use of fossil fuels. 

Zero-emission zones would be a step towards an even more climate-friendly future. Other countries in Europe are also leading the way here. Sweden will soon have Europe's first comprehensive zero-emission zone in the centre of Stockholm. In Holland, too, only certain categories of electric vehicles will be permitted in some cities from 2025. Other countries such as the UK still allow combustion engines, but only with a better Euro standard than in Germany. 

One thing is certain, the recent court ruling is a wake-up call for the German government to do more for climate protection. Even if the government sees a way out by amending the law, it cannot escape the obligation to do more for climate protection. The sectors that achieved the climate targets in recent years and were therefore able to compensate for the transport and building sectors will probably no longer be able to do so in the coming years. The energy and industrial sectors were put on the back burner, mainly due to the politically tense situation in Eastern Europe and the energy crisis.  It is therefore clear that much more needs to be done and that the German government must fulfil its responsibilities instead of creating workarounds. Climate change will not wait!