Eco-activists in Germany threaten three car manufacturers with courts | News from Germany about Germany

German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) and Greenpeace are demanding carmakers Volkswagen (VW), Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as well as German oil and gas company Wintershall Dea, to “significantly” accelerate their environmental transformation. The claim, made public on Friday, September 3, sets a deadline by which addressees must issue binding directives explaining exactly how they intend to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Activists give time to car concerns until the end of October, and Wintershall Dea – until September 20. Otherwise, the prepared claims will be sent to court. The plaintiffs are the managing directors of the organizations, as well as the German Fridays for Future activist Clara Mayer. The applicants demand that the automakers abandon internal combustion engines by 2030, and Wintershall Dea demand that the development of new oil and gas fields be abandoned by 2026.

VW is making “huge profits” by producing climate-damaging vehicles, Meyer said. “We are already seeing how the climate crisis is affecting Germany,” added a Fridays for Future activist. According to her, the basic rights of the younger generation are under threat. And BMW and Mercedes-Benz have violated all of their climate protection commitments for more than two decades, focusing on “dirty diesel and voracious gasoline engines,” said DUH chief executive Jürgen Resch.

BMW and VW recalled Paris climate agreement

The car companies did not ignore the complaints. Mercedes-Benz has already set a course for climate neutrality, said Daimler, which owns the brand. In the event of a claim, the company will be protected by all available legal instruments, the concern stressed.

BMW officials highlighted the firm’s commitment to preventing global temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels this century. BMW is a pioneer in the fight against climate change, the company said.

And Volkswagen indicated that the concern back in 2018 expressed a clear commitment to the goals of the Paris climate agreement. In addition, VW has invested billions of euros in the development of electric vehicles, noted in Wolfsburg. The lawsuit announced by eco-activists against a single enterprise “is not a proportionate means of addressing the important challenges facing society,” Volkswagen said.

See also:

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Closure of coal-fired power plants
The German government decided by 2038 to end the use of coal in the electric power industry – the most harmful fossil energy source for the climate. Already in 2022, the total capacity of coal-fired power plants will be reduced by a quarter. Those that run on imported coal will be closed at an accelerated pace. For the curtailment of brown coal mining, a number of regions of Germany will receive multibillion-dollar compensation.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Renewable energy development
By 2030, 65% of the electricity consumed in Germany should be produced from renewable sources (RES), primarily with the help of wind and sun. At the time of the adoption of the program in September 2019, this figure was about 43%. Among the measures to stimulate the development of renewable energy sources is an increase in the material interest of local authorities in the installation of wind generators on their territory.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Introduction of CO2 certifications
Anyone who emits significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere must pay for it. This is the meaning of the CO2 certification system introduced in the European Union back in 2005 for industrial enterprises. In Germany, from 2021, companies selling various types of fuel to consumers will also be required to acquire such certificates. As a result, it should rise in price.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Increase in fuel prices
The price of CO2 certificates, according to the government program, will steadily grow in 2021-25. This should lead to a gradual rise in the price of, in particular, gasoline and diesel at filling stations. The goal of the government program is to encourage motorists to use petroleum products more economically and, ultimately, to switch to environmentally friendly modes of transport.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Promotion of electromobility
The German government has expanded and extended until 2025 a program to stimulate the purchase of all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids. Thus, the discount on electric cars at a price of up to 40 thousand euros has been increased from 4 to 6 thousand euros, for more expensive models it is 5 thousand euros. At the same time, it was decided to install 50 thousand new public charging stations in 2020-21.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Increase in tax on air tickets
Emissions from aircraft engines are highly contributing to the greenhouse effect, so the German government is seeking to reduce the number of air travel, especially within Germany and Europe. One of the points of the climate protection program is to increase the tax on air tickets from April 1, 2020. In particular, by 5.65 euros to 13.03 euros when departing from airports in Germany on intra-European routes.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Rail tax incentives
The more passengers prefer cars, intercity buses and electric trains, the better for the climate, the German government believes. One of the points of his program is the reduction of VAT on railway tickets from 19% to preferential 7% from January 1, 2020, and, as a result, their cost reduction on long-distance trains by 10%. Lost taxes are compensated to the treasury by the tax on air passengers.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Prohibition of diesel heating of houses
Significant CO2 emissions occur when heating buildings. In many German houses, primarily individual ones, heating systems using fuel oil or diesel fuel are still operating, often very old and ineffective. The state is ready to undertake 40% of the costs of replacing them with modern environmentally friendly technologies. And from 2026, the installation of diesel boilers will be banned altogether.

Climate protection in Germany: the government’s agenda until 2030
Support for energy efficient housing
The more energy-saving technologies are used in a building, the less energy is required to heat it. Therefore, from 2020, the German government, as part of the climate protection program, will provide tax incentives to all homeowners for installing energy-efficient double-glazed windows in windows and for thermal insulation of walls and roofs.
Author: Andrey Gurkov