The relentless and unstoppable force of nature has once again manifested itself in China in the form of a massive sandstorm that has been raging in the north-west of the country since mid-February 2024. This force of nature, together with the existing fine dust pollution, poses major challenges for the world's most populous country.
High levels of particulate matter, poor air quality and tough measures: Milan and eight other provinces in northern Italy's Lombardy region are currently struggling with severe air pollution. In response to the alarming environmental situation, the authorities have adopted a series of restrictive measures. These affect not only citizens, but also motorists.
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. With record temperatures and CO2 emissions in 2023, the 1.5-degree climate target seems to be receding ever further into the distance. In this situation, carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) is increasingly coming into focus. This is a technology for capturing and storing CO2 underground, which was a rather theoretical option for a long time, but is now becoming increasingly important due to the pressure to act to save the climate.
Drivers' love of SUVs has meant that the average width of cars in Europe has increased by half a centimetre every year since 2001. This development brings with it a number of challenges, particularly in terms of parking facilities and road safety. A study by the European umbrella organisation Transport & Environment shows that half of new cars are now too wide for many parking spaces in European cities. The researchers are therefore in favour of a European upper limit for the width of cars.
In recent years, the number of cars registered in the Eurometropolis has steadily increased. However, for the first time since 2015, the region recorded a significant decline between 2022 and 2023. The number of cars fell by 2.83%, according to figures from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. This decline is particularly noticeable in Strasbourg.
There has recently been some good news for travellers in Strasbourg. The President of the Eurometropolis has decided to suspend all fines in connection with the ZFE zone, citing the improvement in air quality as the reason. Pia Imbs explained: "There will be no further fines for the low emission zone. The air quality has improved. Despite this decision, the low emission zone will remain in place for educational reasons.
A recently published report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) found that CO2 emissions from cars in the EU have not fallen despite stricter regulations and increased average targets. The report concludes that while electric cars could make an important contribution to reducing emissions, their share is not growing fast enough to make a significant difference.
It's a topic that is often discussed but never really solved: Air pollution in metro stations. Is it harmful to health? A recent study carried out in the Paris metro by Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) and Airparif has produced a detailed overview of pollution in the metro and the Réseau Express Régional (RER) and identified three stations with worryingly high levels of pollutants.
The EU Parliament's decision to significantly reduce CO2 emissions from commercial vehicles has far-reaching implications for environmental zones and air quality. The ambitious targets stipulate that new city buses should be emission-free by 2035. Compared to 2019, their emissions are to be reduced by 90 % by 2030. Emissions from lorries and coaches are to be reduced by 90 % by 2040.
A few days ago, the Federal Environment Agency warned of 'very poor' air quality in many places in eastern Germany, caused by a combination of an easterly flow and a stable high-pressure weather situation. This inversion weather situation led to an increased accumulation of air pollutants and significantly impaired air quality. Should we introduce more low emission zones after all?
