the joy of the Minister of the environment: The concentration of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter continues to decline. Environmental associations is not enough.

Unchanged locations, lower values: meter on a street in Hamburg photo: Reuters

BERLIN taz | The Federal Minister of the environment, the joy was to be noted: "The results are finally gratifying," said Svenja Schulze (SPD) on Tuesday as she presented the latest Figures for air quality in Germany. The values show, indeed, in all areas, an improvement in The data available so far show that the limit value for harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has been exceeded in the past year, only in 19 cities.

If all of the measuring stations are analyzed, is likely to increase this figure to 25 to 30 – but that would be only about half as much as the 57 cities, in which the limit value in 2018 has been exceeded. "This is a significant environmental success," said Schulze. And the had been achieved by transport policy actions, and not by changes in the measurement locations, said the Minister of the environment – a jab at CSU transport Minister, Andreas Scheuer, the had demanded in the past, pollutant measurements at a larger distance to the street make.

Exceeding of the EU limit value of 40 micrograms of NO2 per cubic meter of air has led to that many cities had to adopt, according to the lawsuits, especially the German environmental aid (DUH) on individual roads or entire zones and driving bans for older Diesel. In addition, the Federal government, municipalities assisted in the conversion of buses and other vehicles. And: some manufacturers play in the case of vehicles with excessive nitric oxide on the values of new Software.

"We had a long time ago to comply with the limits"

All of these measures contributed, according to the Federal environment Agency (UBA), but only to a small extent, to a decrease in the nitrogen oxide values. By far the greatest influence had the fleet the renewal of the vehicle. Because while cars with exhaust emission norm 6 c that could be approved as a new car until last August, the limit of 80 milligrams of NO2 per kilometre in reality, the 7-Times have passed, keep to the latest Diesel emission standard 6 d Temp the prescribed value is actually. "This shows that we can adhere to long, the limit values in the cities have, if you already have older Diesel Cars would have been clean, and although not on the test bench, but real on the road", said UBA President Dirk Messner.

A decrease in the concentration of the still clearly health more harmful fine dust. Here are the current EU have been complied with limits for the first time, all of the measurement stations. That is not to rich but still said UBA chief Messner. Since the European limits are twice as high as that recommended by the world health organization (WHO). "In order to protect the health of the people, should be the fine dust limit values more stringent," he said. The WHO would apply the recommendations, would be exceeded in the case of particularly fine particles (PM10) the annual mean values of more than half of the measuring stations.

The ecological transport club Germany (VCD) welcomed the values of the decrease of the pollutant to the "no reason to Breathe a sigh of relief". In addition to the political measures, the mild Winter had contributed to the decline, said VCD expert Michael Müller-Gönnert. In many places, the values would be the limit more than the EU. "We therefore need urgent measures for the further reduction of the pollutant load," he demanded.

The European Federation of sustainable transport organisations Transport & Environment also pointed out that new Diesel cause problems. Current Tests have shown a high level of emissions of very small particles, which are not measured in official Tests so far. In addition, there is in the short term, very high pollutant levels, if the filters are cleaned. Here are the rules need to be tightened.