ICYMI

12 Apr, 2024

With his sector likely to fall short of its emissions targets for another year, Transport Minister Volker Wissing has raised the spectre of 'comprehensive' driving bans as a means of cutting traffic in Germany.

In a letter sent by the Free Democrat (FDP) politician to leaders of the traffic-light coalition, Wissing called for amendments to the current climate law to be brought in as soon as possible to avoid drastic measures.

"The fact that the amendment is still not in force leads to considerable legal and factual uncertainties that serve neither the climate nor the reputation of the federal government," he wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Bild.

Wissing, who has long been opposed to climate measures such as a motorway speed limit, is pushing for the government to bring in an amendment that would ease stringent climate rules.

Rather than facing individual emissions targets, the amendment would let emissions-heavy sectors balance their emissions against those who had met their targets.

According to the Transport Minister, if the government doesn't take steps to relax its strict climate rules before mid-July, the ministry would have to introduce a ban on drivers in order to hit its targets.

"A corresponding reduction in traffic would only be possible through restrictive measures that are difficult to communicate to the population, such as comprehensive and indefinite driving bans on Saturdays and Sundays," he wrote.

https://www.thelocal.de/20240412/german-minister-threatens-to-introduce-weekend-driving-ban