2018年CRI German city bans diesel cars to combat air pollution

 

Hamburg has become the first city in Germany to impose a partial ban on some older diesel¹ vehicles.

The move comes as a blow to the federal government as well as the country's automotive industry.

TRT World's Ira Spitzer reports.

Diesel engines were invented in Germany and about half the country's drivers still use them today. But health concerns over harmful pollutants² and the fallout from Volkswagen's emissions-rigging scandal have led to somewhat of a national reckoning... and the country's first partial ban on diesel vehicles.

Dorothee Saar of the environmental group Deutsche Umwelthelfe explains.

SOT, Dorothee Saar, Deutsche Umwelthilfe:

"The highest court in Germany decided³ in February that driving bans are an instrument that has to be used when there is no other alternative. Hamburg is now doing that.

The ban in Germany's second-largest city comes as a result of dangerously high levels of nitrogen oxide⁴ in the air, which has been linked to respiratory diseases.

The ban - on portions of just two streets - applies to many diesel vehicles bought before twenty fifteen and could impact more than one hundred thousand cars in the city. The ban on passenger vehicles applies to a stretch of only about 580 meters, but it's still got locals arguing about the benefits"

Vera von Reinersdorff, Hamburg resident:

"First you have to think about the people and only after that about the convenience for the drivers. I live around the corner from here with my little children and the pollution here is really severe"

Jela Pulic, Hamburg resident:

"You thought with diesel that you used less fuel, and you save money and that's why we bought them. Now we can't drive them on certain streets in Hamburg? I think it's a big problem."

VO#3 Germany's federal government has long resisted calls for diesel ban but the February court ruling essentially⁵ forced the issue. The threat of bans has led to calls on car companies to make costly⁶ hardware retrofits to bring older vehicles into compliance⁷, instead of leaving customers to fend⁸ for themselves.

Here's Christian⁹ Hieff, from the country's national automobile¹⁰ owner's association.

Christian Hieff, ADAC:

"The automakers carried out this fraud for years with their customers, telling them that they had bought an environmentally friendly vehicle. Now they find out that that's actually not the case."

Sales of diesel vehicles have dropped sharply in Germany so far this year, and make up about a third of new car sales.

Hamburg may be the first city to enforce a ban on older diesels¹¹, but it likely won't be the last. The air in more than sixty German cities has been found to exceed acceptable levels of nitrogen oxide.

For China Radio International, I'm Ira Spitzer in Berlin.

1 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

2 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 oxide   

n.氧化物

参考例句：

• Oxide is usually seen in our daily life.在我们的日常生活中氧化物很常见。
• How can you get rid of this oxide coating?你们该怎样除去这些氧化皮？

5 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

8 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

11 diesels   

柴油( diesel的名词复数 )； 柴油机机车（或船等）

参考例句：

• The diesels roared, the conductors jumped aboard, and off the train went. 内燃机发出轰鸣声，列车员跳上车厢，火车开走了。
• The diesels catch and roar, a welcome sound. 柴油机开动，发生了怒吼，这是令人鼓舞的声音。