Air pollution control: Partial success for Umwelthilfe in court
Environmental Action Germany has achieved a partial victory in court against the government. The government must now improve its clean air program.
(Image: Pillau)
The Federal Government must tighten up parts of its National Clean Air Program. This was decided by the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court. In their reasoning, the judges argued that the measures listed so far were not sufficient in all respects to achieve the European targets for reducing emissions of air pollutants.
This means that Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has achieved another success in court against the German government. In mid-May, the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) ruled that the government must tighten up its climate protection program. The current case concerned the program adopted in 2019 and updated in May 2024 with numerous measures with which Germany intends to achieve the European targets for reducing emissions of air pollutants. These include ammonia, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. The ruling is not yet legally binding. Due to its fundamental importance, the judges have allowed an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.
(mfz)