Diesel cars could be allowed to pollute more than double the legal limit following European deal

28 October 2015
by greenpeace -- last modified 28 October 2015

Diesel cars could be allowed to emit more than twice as much as agreed limits for toxic air pollutants as a result of a new deal on emissions testing agreed by European government representatives meeting in Brussels today. The deal comes in the midst of a global diesel emissions scandal after German carmaker Volkswagen was found to be cheating air pollution testing.

Existing EU limits stipulate that cars should not emit more than 80 milligrams of nitrous oxides (NO_x) per kilometre. Loopholes agreed today mean that, under new testing rules coming into force in 2017, cars would be able to emit up to 168 mg/km until 2019 – more than double the legal limit – and 120 mg from 2020 – 50 per cent more than the limit. The loopholes are known as ‘conformity factors’.

Greenpeace EU energy policy adviser Jiri Jerabek said: “European governments are effectively rewarding the cheaters. Have they been on another planet these last few weeks? The diesel scandal has made it crystal clear that bending to car industry pressure is costing people their health and damaging the environment. It’s also threatening Europe’s economic competitiveness. And yet politicians continue to suck up to the lobbyists who are literally responsible for heart attacks, asthma and irreversible damage to the climate. This decision is nothing short of outrageous.”

The European Parliament can still reject the deal.

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