Diesel cars can be banned from German cities, court rules

LEIPZIG, Germany: German cities can ban the most heavily polluting diesel cars from their streets, a court ruled on Tuesday, a move likely to be mirrored in other parts of Europe and to force automakers to pay to improve exhaust systems or switch to cleaner vehicles.

There has been a global backlash against diesel-engine cars since Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to cheating US exhaust tests, meant to limit emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxide (NOx), known to cause respiratory disease.

The ban in the birthplace of the modern automobile is a new blow for automakers, and an embarrassment for Chancellor Angela Merkel´s government, which has come under fire for its close ties to the car industry, and had lobbied against a ban.

The ruling was praised by environmentalists but angered right-wing politicians, who said millions of drivers faced de facto expropriation of vehicles they could no longer use. Tradesmen and retailers said it could hit their business. Merkel noted that the ruling did not affect all drivers in Germany, but said the government would discuss with regions and municipalities how to proceed. The ruling could have wider implications. Paris, Madrid, Mexico City and Athens have said they plan to ban diesel vehicles from city by 2025, while the mayor of Copenhagen wants to ban new diesel cars from entering the city as soon as next year. Sales of diesel cars have been falling fast in Europe since the Volkswagen scandal, with fears of driving bans sending demand sharply down in Germany in the last year.