Since Berlin's Friedrichstraße was closed to car traffic, the air quality in the street and the surrounding area has improved significantly. German Environmental Aid is therefore calling for more car-free zones in other cities and areas as well. However, the reason for the improvement could also be the pandemic.
Company cars in Germany still run on diesel and petrol far too often, putting the brakes on climate policy. A full 87% of new company cars have a combustion engine. The fleet urgently needs to be redesigned to save CO2.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that the federal government is not doing enough to protect the climate. According to the ruling, personal freedom is less important than the fight against global warming. Driving a car could also be drastically restricted.
Zero-emission vehicles on the road, powered by electric, hydrogen and solar - this is the future. We also associate this with the idea of clean air, quiet vehicles and healthy and green cities. But with futuristic mobility comes a new era of air pollution. And it is still completely unregulated.
Air and sea traffic in Europe has an enormous volume, both in the tourism and logistics sectors. As a result, there are more and more environmental zones and measures to improve air quality at the (air) ports of Europe. But mostly only the cars are affected.
Bill Gates has spoken out in favour of alternative fuels, which Porsche, among others, is also researching. Especially for larger vehicles and other means of transport such as ships and aeroplanes, he says, the battery-powered way is wrong.
According to measurements, FiatChrysler and VW motorhomes exceed the permitted exhaust emission limits many times over. Once again, politicians just stand by and do nothing.
Abrasion from tyres, brakes and the road creates a lot of microplastics. This not only accumulates in soil and water, but is also released into the air, where it is absorbed by humans through the respiratory tract. So in addition to particulate matter, microplastics must also be regulated as quickly as possible. Could there soon be environmental zones to combat the small plastic particles?
The future belongs to the train. It has the best CO2 balance. But the aeroplane is no longer as polluting as we thought. In fact, the car is in last place.
Strict emission tests for diesel vehicles in Germany will be postponed for two years. Actually, the new measurement procedures were announced for 2021. The German Environmental Aid criticises that the Ministry of Transport is doing too little against dirty diesels on the roads to protect the car industry.
