“Subsidies damaging to environment at record high in transport sector”

German transport subsidies worth billions of euros are harmful to the environment, a serious obstacle to the transition to a renewable mobility future, and should be abolished, according to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). Subsidies for diesel engines, business car fleets and long-distance commuting added up to 28 billion euros in 2012, said UBA head Maria Krautzberger at a press conference in Berlin. In contrast, the government supports e-mobility with one billion euros in total until 2020, according to the UBA.
Krautzberger said her agency was “delighted” the German Bundesrat had expressed the aim to phase out new registrations of cars with combustion engine by 2030. She said it was unclear whether it would be possible to raise e-cars’ share of new registrations from 0.7 percent today to 100 percent within 14 years, adding the transition would have to be socially acceptable. “But it is the right way, and an important signal” said Krautzberger.
On Germany’s Climate Action Plan 2050, which is to be approved by cabinet in early November, Krautzberger said: “It will probably be a disappointment […] But the Plan could be amended next year.”

Find the press release in German here.