“Dieselgate: Green group grumbles over 'Mickey Mouse' summit”

The diesel summit agreement from 2 August to upgrade software in five million vehicles, set up a mobility fund, and offer buyer’s bonuses can be described as “Mickey Mouse policies” that may cut harmful emissions by five percent at best, Jens Thurau quoted Environmental Action Germany (DUH) head Jürgen Resch as saying, in an article for Deutsche Welle. Many diesel car owners have realised “that the placebo software updates won’t prevent their cars from being affected by driving bans”, said Resch in a press release. DUH has called on all political parties to make clear before the September general elections if they were willing to push for the measures necessary to enable cities to comply with air quality limits, including “dirty diesel vehicle” driving bans.

Read the article in English here and the DUH press release in German here.

For background, read the CLEW articles German carmakers pledge diesel software updates and buyer’s bonus and Why the German diesel summit matters for climate and energy, and the factsheet The debate over an end to combustion engines in Germany.