German speed limit could reduce CO2 more than previously thought
BERLIN, 20 january (Reuters) – By imposing speed limits on German highways, a new study found political By increasing pressure on Berlin to reconsider the politically sensitive issue, it could save nearly three times as much carbon dioxide emissions as previously thought.
In Germany, where there is currently no speed limit, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) published data on Thursday car showed that a speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) on its roads could reduce overall CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light. commercial vehicles about 6.7 million tons per year.
In an earlier study, with a different methodology, the agency expected such a limit would result in 2.6 million CO2 reductions.
Ministry of Transport, investigation of the general speed limit car that it will cause them to move from their roads to secondary roads, which means more noise and environmental pollution for their residents in cities and village He said it shows that it will lead to more traffic jams and more accidents on the roads. .
“Traffic flow and road safety car has been proven to be the highest on its roads,” a ministry spokesman told Reuters, adding that the government had agreed on effective measures to achieve climate targets that do not include general speed limits.
As Germany aims to become carbon neutral by 2045, the new results add to growing pressure on the transport ministry, led by the liberal FDP party, to step up a CO2 reduction program for the sector that is the latest to reduce emissions.
To meet the 2022 greenhouse reduction target, the sector’s emissions must not exceed 138.7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The UBA will announce in March whether the sector has met this target, but warned in November that there was no sign of achieving it.
In 2021, transport in Germany emitted about 148 million tons of CO2, which missed the target by about 3 million tons.
The Ministry of Transport says its program will reduce 13 million tonnes in the coming years, a missed target of 2021. compensation will do.
But environmentalists say the program does not go far enough and are calling on the government to impose speed limits on motorways, with some activists taking to roads in Berlin and other German cities to demand such limits.
of Germany judge coalition could not agree on the speed limit due to FDP’s objection.
UBA’s findings coincided with Germany’s constitutional court announcing on Thursday that it had rejected a constitutional complaint against the government for failing to enforce general speed limits on the country’s motorways.
Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Edited by Alex Richardson, Kirsten Donovan
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2023-01-21 05:40:38
Source – reuters
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