CDU/CSU reject environment ministry proposal for inner-city diesel ban

The conservative CDU/CSU group in the German parliament has rebuffed a proposal by social democratic environment minister Barbara Hendricks to allow cities to ban diesel engines when they deem it necessary, Thomas Öchsner writes in Süddeutsche Zeitung. “Millions in the workforce rely on their cars on a daily basis, goods have to be brought from A to B,” the CDU/CSU spokesman for transportation, Ulrich Lange said. Hendricks presented a draft regulation on the weekend allowing municipalities to limit nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions through various schemes, e.g. issuing access badges for low emission cars only. The environment minister’s proposal follows treaty violation proceedings against Germany by the EU Commission for failing to abide by critical nitrogen oxide (NO_x) values.

Read the article in German here.

For more information on the lingering diesel dispute see the CLEW dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.