The operator of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has probably been depositing poisoned soil in the surrounding area for years. Traffic, whether on the road, in the air or in the water, is increasingly poisoning our environment. While ordinary consumers are punished by measures like environmental zones, big corporations usually get away with it.
Only 2 months after the introduction of the Low Emission Zone in Glasgow, the city council has earned almost £600,000 through fines. After heavy criticism because of problems with the city-owned vehicles, there is now renewed anger among the population. Is the city making money?
In the event of high air pollution, intelligent displays will inform citizens and encourage them to use public transport. This should prevent driving bans.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London, which has been in operation since April 2019, is to be significantly expanded. Originally, the ULEZ was established on an area of 21 square kilometres. On 25 October 2021, it was expanded 18 times and on 29 August 2023, it will be expanded to a whopping 1579 square kilometres. This will cover all London boroughs in Greater London, making it one of the largest environmental zones in the world.
Glasgow City Council has come under fire for its hypocritical implementation of the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ). While the council is asking businesses and commuters to comply with the LEZ regulations, its own vehicles are not compliant and the Lord Mayor's VW Phaeton limousine is also banned.
Starting this year, entering many French cities can be expensive for motorists. This is because more and more traffic offenders are being caught in the environmental zones due to automatic radar checks.
Up to now, only police officers have been able to impose fines for wrong vehicles in Stockholm's environmental zone. Since they cannot check all vehicles, the Public Order Office - at the request of the Greens - is now to take over this work. In order to do this, however, Sweden must adapt the legal framework for monitoring the zone.
Not an isolated phenomenon - More than 8 million cars are at least indirectly involved in the use of illegal defeat devices to manipulate exhaust emissions. This is the result of a recent ICCT study that was able to analyse the actual emissions of numerous vehicles on the road. So what does this development in the diesel scandal mean for the car market and for national and international environmental and transport policy? Will we soon see - in Germany and the rest of Europe - extended environmental zones and stricter driving bans for all affected diesel classes?
A study brings alarming results and shows that most diesel vehicles actually conceal their actual emissions through defeat devices. Up to 150 car models from different manufacturers could be affected. How will the authorities act? Will more diesel driving bans and environmental zones be introduced?
The ECJ ruling on the diesel emissions scandal has caused a sensation: the use of the so-called "thermal window" in diesel cars was declared illegal. Up to 10 million owners of diesel cars are affected by the ruling. What impact will it have on other manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz?
