Land take, air and noise pollution: these are just some of the major challenges which motorized transport brings to many cities in Germany. read more
European Mobility Week: “Sharing gets you further“
One in five Germans suffers from railway noise – unnecessarily
The German Environment Agency (UBA) is campaigning for rail freight noise reduction. Solutions include cladding train wheels and brakes to reduce noise directly at the source. Financial reward for quiet trains must be increased, for example with lower track access charges. read more
Nitrogen pollution from diesel-fuelled cars even higher than suspected
Diesel passenger cars exceed European limits for nitrogen dioxide (NOx) on roads at higher levels than previously thought. In 2016 emissions were assumed to be 575 mg NOx/km, but the diesel-fuelled passenger car fleet in Germany actually had average emissions of 767 mg NOx/km. These findings are based on new calculations done on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA). read more
Future-fit city: Much more money needed for buses and trains
Air pollution, noise, traffic jams, too few green spaces – these are the problems that plague many people living in cities. In a new publication UBA paints a picture of how the future-fit city might look. read more
Greenhouse gas-neutral freight transport is necessary and feasible
Krautzberger: Move more goods to the rail, substitute fossil fuels. read more
Green and 'polluter pays': only the distance-based toll does it
A distance-based toll makes it possible to set differentiated charges for infrastructure and other costs incurred by society as a result of road traffic. Frequent drivers pay more than occasional drivers, resulting in positive ecological and traffic steering effects. The time-based vignette is not a meaningful solution, since it amounts to a flat rate charge for frequent road users. read more
E-bikes equal greater mobility
Pedelecs are all the rage. There are now 1.6 million e-bikes on Germany's roads. A new background paper by UBA discusses the environmental impact of pedelecs. This knowledge is now available to an international audience in an English language translation of the paper. read more
Negative impact on environment from transport sector remains high
This is the conclusion of the European Environment Agency in its annual report on the pressures of the transport sector on the environment. read more
