The European Parliament’s plans to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035 has triggered a great reaction. For a long time now there have not only been positive voices about the end of combustion engines – the federal government has received demands.
Should there actually be a ban on the sale of new vehicles in the European Union from 2035, no more cars that emit climate-damaging greenhouse gases should be allowed on the road. In the vote on Wednesday in Strasbourg, the majority of MEPs also voted in favor of not counting synthetic fuels. In this way, a classic combustion engine could be operated in a climate-neutral manner.
The decision is not yet fixed. At the end of the month, the EU member states want to announce their position on a sales ban for petrol and diesel cars. Both EU institutions would then have to come to an agreement for the requirement to come into force.
Call for synthetic fuels
The ADAC regretted the decision of the European Parliament. “The ambitious climate protection goals in transport will not be achieved with electromobility alone. It would therefore have been necessary to have a perspective to open for the climate-neutral fueled combustion engine,” said the automobile club.
Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), spoke of a “decision against the citizens, against the market, against innovation and against modern technologies”. There is insufficient charging infrastructure in large parts of Europe. Müller is therefore also certain: “In order to achieve the climate goals, e-fuels are also needed.”
Criticism also comes from the Central Association of the German Motor Trade (ZDK). ZDK President Jürgen Karpinski said: “If you want to achieve rapid success in reducing CO2, you have to take a look at the current number of vehicles. That’s around 46 million cars in Germany and 1.5 billion cars worldwide. With climate-neutral e-fuels or All of these vehicles could be powered by biofuels in a climate-neutral manner, and the existing filling station infrastructure would be in place.”
Environmental organizations welcome the planned ban on combustion engines – but with restrictions
Environmental organizations welcomed the planned ban on cars with internal combustion engines, but also expressed criticism. Jürgen Resch, Federal Managing Director of the German Environmental Aid (DUH), described the result of the vote as a “serious setback for climate protection in transport”. Because it torpedoes all efforts to make Europe independent of fossil oil more quickly. “The phase-out of combustion engines is the right step, but it will come far too late in 2035,” says Resch. Germany threatens to miss the “CO2 sector targets for transport every year up to 2030”.
This is also the view of the German Nature Conservation Union (Nabu). Traffic expert Nikolas von Wysiecki said that star: “From a climate protection perspective, the farewell comes five years too late. The years up to 2030 are crucial.” von Wysiecki warned of the “danger that traffic emissions will continue to stagnate.” The federal government is now faced with the choice of pushing for tightening in the Council of Ministers or implementing more measures nationally. Otherwise they will miss their own climate targets.
The climate protection movement Fridays for Future welcomed the plans on Twitter. It was a “success of the climate movement”. But the targeted year 2035 is ten years too late for the 1.5 degree climate target.
Federal Transport Minister against ban
The Federal Environment Agency considers the ban on the sale of combustion engines from 2035 to be necessary in order to be able to achieve climate targets in the transport sector. President Dirk Messner said on Thursday: “I’m pretty sure we won’t see any combustion engines on the market before 2035 because now the end of the combustion engine has begun and car companies will now focus on serving the future and focusing on to guide the future.”
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) told the German Press Agency that the EU Parliament’s decision on the combustion engine “does not meet with our approval”. Wissing made it clear: “We want vehicles with combustion engines to be able to be newly registered after 2035 if they can be proven to be fueled only with e-fuels.”
Sources: , VDA, , Nabu, , , with material from the dpa
Source: Stern
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