For the first time, Deutsche Umwelthilfe has filed a climate action against German companies. The car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz are to be forced to phase out combustion engines by 2030.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) wants to force the car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz to phase out combustion by 2030 with a lawsuit.
On Monday, the association filed climate action against German companies for the first time, the DUH announced. The complaints were therefore submitted to the competent regional courts in Munich and Stuttgart. The association demands that BMW and the Daimler subsidiary Mercedes-Benz “convert their companies to climate-friendly, particularly by drastically reducing the CO2 emissions of their vehicles in accordance with the binding regulations of the Paris Agreement and the German Climate Protection Act”. Among other things, the two carmakers should stop the sale of climate-damaging combustion cars by 2030.
The DUH had previously demanded a declaration of cease and desist from the car manufacturers by Monday at the latest and threatened to file a lawsuit. On Tuesday morning, in response to a dpa request, BMW initially referred to the reply that had already been sent to the DUH, in which BMW rejected the alleged environmental aid claim and referred to the legislature. The democratically legitimized parliaments decided on the way to achieve the climate goals, the letter said.
A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz said on request: “We will look at it when the complaints are there.” The company’s reply to the DUH stated that there was no basis for a declaration of discontinuance, “because we have long since made a clear statement in favor of changing lanes to climate neutrality.”
“It happened exactly as we thought it would,” said DUH lawyer Remo Klinger to the “Handelsblatt”. The climate lawyer is confident that oral negotiations could start next year. Another lawsuit against the oil and gas company Wintershall is still in preparation, but will soon be brought to the Kassel regional court. According to DUH, these are the first proceedings against German companies based on a groundbreaking climate share of the Federal Constitutional Court in the spring.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
