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After Court Ruling: VCD Demands Immediate Measures in the Transport Sector

According to a ruling, the federal government must tighten the existing climate protection programs. The association sees the Transport Minister as being primarily responsible and suggests a speed limit and subsidy reductions.

(Symbolic image: Pixabay)
(Symbolic image: Pixabay)
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Johannes Reichel
von Christine Harttmann

Once again, the federal government has suffered a defeat in court regarding climate protection. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg has certified that the existing climate protection programs are illegal. With the judgment, it was obligated to improve the programs with effective and verifiable measures. Kerstin Haarmann, Federal Chairwoman of the ecological traffic club VCD, welcomes the judgment and sees Transport Minister Wissing particularly responsible:

"Now, it is especially Transport Minister Wissing who is called upon. Speed limits of 120 km/h on highways and 80 km/h on rural roads would be immediately effective. According to the Federal Environment Agency, up to seven million tons of CO2 could be saved annually without significant additional costs. Moreover, speed limits save lives, traffic flows better, drivers are more relaxed on the road, and they save fuel or electricity. A clear win-win situation," Haarmann is quoted as saying.

The same applies to the reduction of climate-damaging subsidies such as the company car and diesel tax privileges. This would make climate-friendly modes of transport comparatively cheaper, argues the VCD, and at the same time create leeway to finance the expansion of buses, trains, and cycling. The 49-euro Germany ticket could also be secured in the long term.

As the transport club further emphasizes, the federal government is acting unlawfully if it does not now implement effective climate protection, it is not only acting unlawfully.

"The SPD, Greens, and FDP still have one year to show that they are a progress coalition. They must take their foot off the brake of climate protection," concluded Haarmann.

Translated automatically from German.
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