In January 2021, Airbus will put its first zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell into operation. This is an important step towards the development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft. By opening a development centre for hydrogen technologies in Lower Saxony, Airbus is strengthening its presence in Germany and underlining its ambitions in the field of climate-neutral aviation.
The end of diesel in Munich seems to have been heralded. The Bavarian Administrative Court (VGH) has ruled that Euro 5 diesels will no longer be allowed to enter Munich's low emission zone. A step that should significantly improve air quality in the city, but what does this mean for the 70,000 or so drivers affected?
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a pilot project to install air filters in 200 of the city's most polluted schools. At first glance, this sounds like a commendable initiative. But why did it have to come this far?
In Les Roche de Condrieux, an industrial area in France, the sulphur dioxide limit value was recently exceeded at one point. At 300 µg/m³, the hourly average was above the permitted value for two hours. The warning was only issued in the late afternoon.
Air pollution has been with us since the beginning of industrialisation. It is omnipresent, especially in cities. However, with technological progress and the relocation of factories away from city centres, air quality has improved in most wealthy countries. A major source of air pollution, the internal combustion engine, seems to be slowly being replaced by electric cars. But are electric cars really the environmentally friendly alternative they appear to be?
The climate crisis, one of the greatest challenges of our time, is becoming ever more tangible and its effects ever more evident. Paradoxically, one of the main causes of the alarming rise in CO2 emissions is the lack of water. This leads to dry soil, which in turn produces more particulate matter and favours the creation of new environmental zones.
On 11 January 2024, the District Administrative Court in Krakow, Poland, stopped the city's planned low emission zone for the time being. The project, known as the Clean Transport Zone (SCT), was intended to designate a part of the city where only cars with certain Euro standards would be allowed to enter. However, despite the good intentions of the city council, the court declared the project invalid.
The discussion about sustainable mobility has recently focussed increasingly on e-fuels. E-fuels, synthetic fuels obtained by reversing the combustion process, have the potential to offer a climate-friendly alternative to electric drives. However, their environmental compatibility and energy balance still need to be investigated further.
Austrian Post has announced that it will switch its entire lorry fleet to HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) by mid-2024. A bold step that makes the company a pioneer in the industry. The progress is undoubtedly impressive, but also raises some questions.
A fresh breeze is blowing in the metropolis of Berlin - and that is to be taken literally. The environmental administration's new clean air plan shows that the air in the capital is getting cleaner, windier and yes, also more expensive. But what does this mean for residents and what does all this have to do with the new EU limits?
