https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The EU's top court ruled on Thursday that Germany continually violated upper limits for nitrogen dioxide, a polluting gas from diesel motors that causes major health problems, over several years. https://www.thelocal.de/20210603/infringement-on-air-quality-eu-court-slams-germany-for-pollution-in-cities Thu, 03 Jun 2021 13:35:35 +0200 infringement-on-air-quality-eu-court-slams-germany-for-pollution-in-cities In the EU, 13 percent of deaths are linked to pollution, said a new report published on Tuesday by the European Environment Agency (EEA), which stressed the current pandemic put environmental health factors in the spotlight. https://www.thelocal.de/20200908/pollution-linked-to-1-in-8-deaths-in-eu-countries Tue, 08 Sep 2020 15:12:55 +0200 pollution-linked-to-1-in-8-deaths-in-eu-countries Germany can jail officials for failing to enforce inner-city bans on polluting vehicles, but only under specific legislation that respects proportionality, the European Court of Justice ruled Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20191219/germany-can-jail-officials-who-flout-anti-pollution-rulings-eu-co Thu, 19 Dec 2019 15:50:25 +0100 germany-can-jail-officials-who-flout-anti-pollution-rulings-eu-co Berlin’s Friedrichstraße is set to go car free one Saturday afternoon in December. With the fallout from the diesel scandal continuing and cycle use increasing, could this be a sign of the future for Germany’s urban centres? https://www.thelocal.de/20181214/berlin-the-latest-german-city-to-experiment-with-going-car-free Fri, 14 Dec 2018 17:37:00 +0100 berlin-the-latest-german-city-to-experiment-with-going-car-free Dismayed by the German government’s failure to meet climate protection targets, dairy farmer Heiner Luetke Schwienhorst has filed a lawsuit against Berlin to force it into action. https://www.thelocal.de/20181209/german-farmers-sue-government-over-missed-climate-targets Sun, 09 Dec 2018 10:52:33 +0100 german-farmers-sue-government-over-missed-climate-targets The Cologne administrative court said Cologne must ban the dirtiest diesels from its centre and other streets from April 2019 to tackle dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. https://www.thelocal.de/20181108/cologne-and-bonn-issued-with-diesel-ban-orders Thu, 08 Nov 2018 17:38:41 +0100 cologne-and-bonn-issued-with-diesel-ban-orders Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is taking Germany to court in a bid to stop potentially harmful nitrates entering the groundwater - substances known to endanger human health. https://www.thelocal.de/20180717/german-environmental-association-sues-government-over-nitrate-use Tue, 17 Jul 2018 19:16:07 +0200 german-environmental-association-sues-government-over-nitrate-use For decades, plastic straws have been essential props for cocktail makers, smoothie lovers and fast food addicts. But that may be starting to change, thanks largely to vigorous environmental campaigning. https://www.thelocal.de/20180701/war-on-plastic-leaves-manufacturers-clutching-at-straws Sun, 01 Jul 2018 15:55:20 +0200 war-on-plastic-leaves-manufacturers-clutching-at-straws Hamburg will on Thursday become the first German city to ban older diesel vehicles from some highly polluted stretches of road, as public confidence in the once-loved technology goes up in smoke. https://www.thelocal.de/20180530/diesel-the-german-child-merkel-is-loath-to-let-go-of Wed, 30 May 2018 11:07:32 +0200 diesel-the-german-child-merkel-is-loath-to-let-go-of Authorities in Hamburg said on Wednesday they would ban some diesel vehicles from two major arteries to improve air quality, making the German port city the first to take the long-feared step. https://www.thelocal.de/20180523/hamburg-is-first-german-city-to-order-diesel-bans Wed, 23 May 2018 13:47:30 +0200 hamburg-is-first-german-city-to-order-diesel-bans The European Commission said Thursday it is taking Germany, France, the United Kingdom and three other EU countries to court for failing to comply with the bloc's air quality standards. https://www.thelocal.de/20180517/eu-takes-germany-to-court-over-poor-quality-of-air Thu, 17 May 2018 14:56:26 +0200 eu-takes-germany-to-court-over-poor-quality-of-air The city of Hamburg this week put up signs on its streets warning motorists of diesel restricted zones - an indication to residents that they are taking the diesel driving bans seriously. https://www.thelocal.de/20180517/hamburg-prepares-for-diesel-driving-ban-with-signs-warning-motorists Thu, 17 May 2018 13:49:12 +0200 hamburg-prepares-for-diesel-driving-ban-with-signs-warning-motorists The Federal Environmental Office (UBA) has said that the nitrogen oxide pollution (NO2) emitted by diesel engines is responsible for thousands of premature deaths every year. https://www.thelocal.de/20180308/fumes-from-diesel-engines-killing-thousands-of-germans-every-year Thu, 08 Mar 2018 15:47:43 +0100 fumes-from-diesel-engines-killing-thousands-of-germans-every-year German cities should fight air pollution by charging drivers tolls according to their vehicle's emissions, rather than slapping general bans on older models, European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20180307/eu-urges-germany-to-introduce-air-pollution-toll Wed, 07 Mar 2018 12:32:55 +0100 eu-urges-germany-to-introduce-air-pollution-toll A top German court on Tuesday ruled that cities can impose diesel driving bans to combat air pollution, a landmark decision that plunges millions of car owners nationwide into uncertainty. https://www.thelocal.de/20180228/heres-how-the-diesel-ban-could-affect-you Wed, 28 Feb 2018 12:47:27 +0100 heres-how-the-diesel-ban-could-affect-you A top German court on Tuesday ruled that cities can impose diesel driving bans to combat air pollution, in a landmark decision that could shake up the auto industry and upend transport policies. https://www.thelocal.de/20180227/federal-court-gives-green-light-for-diesel-ban-in-german-cities Tue, 27 Feb 2018 13:13:51 +0100 federal-court-gives-green-light-for-diesel-ban-in-german-cities Earlier this week Germany made global headlines by announcing plans to trial free public transport in select cities in an effort to fight air pollution. With the initiative still generating lots of discussion, here’s what The Local’s readers had to say about it. https://www.thelocal.de/20180216/your-reactions-to-germanys-free-public-transport-idea Fri, 16 Feb 2018 13:15:29 +0100 your-reactions-to-germanys-free-public-transport-idea The German government on Wednesday sought to play down plans to introduce free public transport, a day after the radical proposal to fight air pollution made headlines around the world. https://www.thelocal.de/20180214/government-plays-down-free-public-transport-plan Wed, 14 Feb 2018 16:43:32 +0100 government-plays-down-free-public-transport-plan "Car nation" Germany has surprised neighbours with a radical proposal to reduce road traffic by making public transport free, as Berlin scrambles to meet EU air pollution targets and avoid big fines. https://www.thelocal.de/20180213/germany-considers-making-public-transport-free-to-fight-air-pollution Tue, 13 Feb 2018 17:43:02 +0100 germany-considers-making-public-transport-free-to-fight-air-pollution The European Commission (EC) is to sue Germany over the poor quality of air in its cities, the Stuttgarter Zeitung reported on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20171115/eu-planning-to-sue-germany-over-dirty-air-in-cities-report Wed, 15 Nov 2017 11:36:48 +0100 eu-planning-to-sue-germany-over-dirty-air-in-cities-report