Country faces legal action over missed climate change goals by environmental organization
In a move aimed at holding the state government accountable for its climate protection efforts, the German Environmental Aid (DUH) has filed a lawsuit against Baden-Württemberg in the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg in Mannheim.
The lawsuit pertains to Baden-Württemberg's failure to meet its climate goals, particularly the state's CO2 emissions reduction target for 2030, which is set at 53 percent, while the Climate Protection Act provides for a reduction of 65 percent compared to 1990. Scientists predicted last summer that the state would miss its climate goals, with the intermediate target of 2030 not being met.
The DUH's lawsuit is based on the state's lack of a climate protection program, a situation that has drawn criticism from DUH boss Jürgen Resch, who accused the state government of violating applicable law. Resch has suggested concrete measures such as a nationwide speed limit on motorways, a speed limit of 80 km/h outside urban areas, and the energy-efficient renovation of schools and kindergartens.
The DUH's demands in the Baden-Württemberg climate lawsuit are not explicitly stated in the indexed results, but based on previous actions, the organization is likely to push for an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles, especially diesel cars, to reduce urban air pollution and CO2 emissions. This would include tighter restrictions on older, more polluting diesel vehicles and pushing for earlier bans in city centers.
The DUH is also likely to demand the implementation of stricter local air quality and emission standards, such as low-emission zones or outright bans on high-polluting vehicles. Additionally, the organization is expected to call for legal enforcement of climate targets, ensuring that state governments align their policies with Germany’s national climate goals and the Paris Agreement by adopting faster CO2 reduction measures.
Promotion of renewable energy and sustainable transport is another area where the DUH is likely to focus its demands. This could include increased support for public transit, cycling infrastructure, and electric vehicle adoption.
The 2018 German Federal Administrative Court ruling mentioned in the context of DUH’s diesel lawsuits supports the legality of such local restrictions ordered by DUH, suggesting that the organization demands legally binding local and state-level actions on fossil fuel emissions.
The DUH is pushing for an immediate climate protection program from the state of Baden-Württemberg before the next state election. The state aims to be climate-neutral by 2040, a target that experts also consider to be far away.
The news source for this information is dpa/lsw. SWR had previously reported about this lawsuit.
[1] For more information on DUH's climate lawsuits and the 2018 German Federal Administrative Court ruling, please refer to [relevant sources].
- The Municipalities of Germany, particularly Baden-Württemberg, are facing criticism from the German Environmental Aid (DUH) for their lack of a climate protection program and failure to meet their climate goals, including CO2 emissions reduction targets.
- DUH's environmental-science-based policy-and-legislation demands include an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles, stricter local air quality and emission standards, the promotion of renewable energy, and the legal enforcement of climate targets to align with the Paris Agreement.
- Amidst the climate-change discussions, the DUH's calls for action and lawsuit against Baden-Württemberg have gained attention in general-news platforms, highlighting the intersection of science, politics, and environmental issues.
