Months certain NO2 from the exhaust of diesel cars banned in the headlines, from the VW scandal over the dispute in order to retrofit up to driving. Now the Federal environmental Agency has some good news for city residents.
Berlin (dpa) – The air in Germany’s towns and cities is cleaner. In the past year, only 25 cities exceeded the limit value for harmful nitrogen dioxide the NO2 Gas is the reason for Diesel-driving bans. 2018, the values were still in 57 cities is higher than the EU allows.
The Trend towards better air was no longer clear, now the Federal environment Agency (UBA) and Federal Ministry for the environment provided the final analysis of the data from the countries for the year. The show: In the cities with high pollution the air has become due to the Bank’s better, if in varying degrees.
The annual average must not exceed the load with NO2, that is, according the UBA in traffic cities, ranging mainly from Diesel exhaust gases, the value of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air. He has been in place since 2010. Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) welcomed the data: “it shows That environmental policy acts,” she said. However, the previous measures were not sufficient, the limit really is everywhere to be observed. “The solution lies in cleaner vehicles and a fundamental change in Mobility.”
the limit was Exceeded, therefore, only in streets with a lot of traffic in large Metropolitan areas and cities. Leader Stand at the end of may – Munich, Darmstadt, Stuttgart, Germany, Limburg an der Lahn and Frankfurt am Main. But even there, the values decreased. As the reason for the improvement in the Federal environment Agency specifies the speed limits, driving bans, or the use of cleaner buses, but also software updates for diesel cars, and the renewal of the vehicle fleet. Also the weather affecting pollutants, the spread of air.
The Corona-crisis, the German Federal environment Agency according to the values for 2020. In some places, the NO2 is gone-load by up to 40 percent more back. “These are positive findings, we should take turn necessarily, as a further occasion for a long-term Traffic from this crisis”, said the President of the Federal Environment Agency, Dirk Messner. For the protection of human health, we need a lasting and sustainable improvement. “The fact that less transport leads to better air and less noise and the quality of life in our cities increases, has led us to the Corona-crisis.”
NO2 stand in the centre of the VW scandal – it was about the fact that cars emit on the road very much more pollutants than on the test bench, so as officially stated. In the meantime, there are new requirements for the Tests on the test bench.
Especially the German environmental aid Association (DUH) has made the battle against high NO2-values in the flags and drew many to court to force more measures for clean air, and driving bans for older Diesel. Eleven are in process, according to the Association, in Osnabrück, Kiel, Hannover, Würzburg, Fürth, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Freiburg, Heilbronn and Backnang.
The Federal government had responded to a “rapid action programme Clean air for the period 2017-2020,” that promotes the transition about to eco-friendly buses or vans. 1.5 billion euros were allocated for this. In addition, millions of Diesel passenger Cars got a Software Update to improve the exhaust gas purification. After a long dispute Hardware allows you to upgrade directly to the Motor.
in the light of the new data, the FDP argued in the Bundestag against Diesel-driving bans. Faction Deputy Frank Sitta said the air quality will, regardless of the roadblocks better. Schulze should recognise that fleet renewal and software updates of the major reason for the improvement, to put instead of the “undifferentiated harassment through such intransparent and inefficient measures such as driving bans”. Similar to the environment expressed political spokesperson of the group, Judith Skudelny. Other emission sources and the air pressure had an impact on the air quality. “The flat rate call for messengers not improved over the quality of the air.”
cities with the NO2 limit value is exceeded
message of the Federal Environment Agency with graphics
