The majority of Europeans are in favour of banning the sale of petrol and diesel by the year 2030. Environmental campaigners Travel & Environment (or T&E) commissioned a poll among a little over 10,000 respondents. The survey was intended to determine how many residents supported the ban. Included in the poll were European cities such as Budapest, Warsaw, and London. The cities were chosen from eight countries – the UK, Spain, Poland, Italy, Hungary, Germany, France, and Belgium.
The survey revealed that only 29% of Europeans are against the petrol and diesel ban. The majority of respondents in all the cities involved were in favour of an emissions-free Europe. About 77% of Rome residents support the ban while 51% of respondents in Berlin and Antwerp agree with the phasing out of combustion engine vehicles.
Eight per cent of the respondents said they had no idea about the ban.
The survey was carried out in March 2021.
Julia Poliscanova, senior vehicles director of T&E, pointed out how petrol and diesel vehicles have been polluting cities and exposing their residents to unlawful levels of toxic air. The campaigner encouraged the European Commission to set a specific end date for vehicle sales in time for the climate policy proposals.
The Netherlands, Denmark, and Austria are only three of the eight countries that asked the EU to pick a date for the petrol and diesel vehicles phaseout.
The Commission, on the other hand, promised to evaluate when the ideal time would be for petrol and diesel vehicles to be removed from the market so the European Union’s emissions-free goal can be achieved.
Two years ago, EU officials planned to propose stricter limits for vehicle emissions. Their plan included the expansion of the charging infrastructure of EVs or electric vehicles. However, they promised to focus on improving air quality without using too much technology. In 2020, EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles sales were over the one million mark, which represented around 10% of the total sales in the EU.
What vehicle emissions can do to you
Vehicle emissions have been a problem for years but only grabbed the spotlight in 2015 after the Dieselgate scandal broke out. In September of that year, the global automobile industry saw US authorities implicate the Volkswagen Group in a diesel emissions scam where the carmaker was accused of installing defeat devices in their vehicles so they could manipulate emission levels during regulatory testing. Audi and Volkswagen diesel cars and vans sold in the US were sold as environmentally safe even if they were not emissions-compliant.
A defeat device senses if a vehicle is being assessed and automatically lowers emissions levels to within the recommended limits of the World Health Organization (WHO). Volkswagen allegedly did this so their diesel vehicles can pass emissions testing and be approved for sale. However, the vehicle is emissions-compliant only during testing conditions. When driven in real-world road conditions, they go back to emitting illegal levels of nitrogen oxide or NOx, a dangerous group of gases that catalyses the formation of acid rain, smog, and ground-level ozone. Thus, defeat device-equipped diesel vehicles should not be allowed on the roads as they are pollutants.
The scandal involves other carmakers, including world-renowned brands such as Peugeot, Mercedes-Benz, Vauxhall, and BMW.
BMW was first implicated in the scandal in December 2017 after the DUH or Environmental Action Germany allegedly found defeat devices in one of their diesel models. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority or KBA investigated the allegations.
Aside from the diesel emissions scam, BMW was also allegedly caught colluding with Mercedes’ parent company Daimler and the Volkswagen Group in delaying technology intended to control emissions levels. They were eventually fined along with Volkswagen but Mercedes did not have to pay anything as they told authorities about the cartel.
Like Volkswagen, BMW and the other manufacturers implicated in the scandal have had to pay fines, settlement fees, and compensation. The carmakers have also recalled thousands upon thousands of affected vehicles over the years.
Nitrogen oxide emissions have dangerous impacts on human health. It can trigger mental health issues, which means you may experience frequent attacks of depression and anxiety. Cognitive development also slows down, which can make you vulnerable to dementia.
NOx life-changing effects, however, are on your health. Regardless of the level or frequency of exposure, you can experience the following health impacts:
- Corroded teeth
- Shortness of breath
- Spasms of the vocal cords
- Build-up of fluid in the lungs
- Asphyxiation
- Respiratory issues such as emphysema and bronchitis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic weakening of the lungs
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Premature death
Authorities believe that carmakers are responsible for these devastating impacts. Lying to their customers and mis-selling defeat device-equipped vehicles is unlawful – and they should answer for their actions. It is your right to bring forward a diesel claim against BMW or any of the carmakers involved in the scam.
How do I know I am eligible to file my diesel claim?
Before you can file legal action against or receive diesel compensation from your carmaker, you have to verify first if you are qualified to bring forward a Dieselgate claim. Not all models are affected, so you’ll have to visit ClaimExperts.co.uk to determine your eligibility. Once you get all the relevant details you need, you can take the first step in the claims process.