Air pollution is a serious problem that endangers the health of millions of people in the European Union. According to a new study by the European Environment Agency, almost 240,000 Europeans die every year as a result of particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the air. These alarming figures show that air quality in Europe is far from the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
The planned introduction of new driving bans for diesel cars with Euro 5 engines and petrol cars with Euro 2 engines has been postponed until January 2027. Thousands of vehicles would have been affected by the original plans. The postponement met with opposition from the green parties Ecolo, Groen and Défi, while the majority of parliament supported the postponement.
Paris is a veritable jungle of low emission zones. With the introduction of the new traffic-calmed zone (ZTL) in the heart of the capital in October 2024, the list of restrictions for motorists will become even longer. There are already ZFE, ZPA and ZPA-Transit, which are intended to regulate traffic in the city. But who will be able to see through them?
Austria is actively committed to clean air. Low emission zones have been set up in six out of nine federal states. These zones were created to reduce emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides and thus protect the environment. The focus is particularly on delivery traffic, as it is considered to be the main source of these harmful emissions. However, it is likely that this regulation will also be extended to passenger transport in the future, as the EU directives on particulate matter and nitrogen oxides are not yet fully complied with.
The Berlin Green Party recently presented a proposal to equalise the traffic congestion in the capital. The idea is to shift delivery and commercial traffic to the night-time hours. According to Antje Kapek, transport spokesperson for the Greens, this proposal should help to ensure that delivery vehicles, refuse collection, care services and doctors get stuck less in congested and parked-up streets during the day. Low-noise and low-emission lorries could increasingly drive into cities at night and on special routes.
The sight of huge, powerful lorries on Europe's motorways could soon become a reality. The European Parliament recently passed a measure that could make it possible to allow so-called "mega trucks" on the roads of EU countries. But what does this mean for the climate? Can these giants really reduce emissions from freight transport?
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.
Since the beginning of the year, the city of Amsterdam has banned heavy buses and lorries in the city centre. Heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are banned within the canal belt (S100). Next year, there will also be up to 30 zero-emission zones in the Netherlands. Even if transitional periods still apply for some time, the Netherlands is on a fast track out of combustion mobility.
The city of Guadalajara in Mexico has announced plans to create its first LEZ (Low Emission Zone). The move is part of the city's efforts to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities, cut greenhouse gas emissions and tackle the climate crisis. The low emission zone will extend around the busy Ramón Corona intersection in the historic city centre. This is the first time such an attempt has been made in Mexico to improve air quality by regulating polluting vehicles in a specific zone.
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.
