Air quality in Germany – evidence hearing on the health impacts of air pollution

The Higher Administrative Court of Münster scheduled a two-day evidence hearing on 9-10 May 2019 featuring science and health experts to resolve debates over air quality rules and diesel restrictions in Germany. This follows legal actions in 35 German cities supported by ClientEarth and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) to enforce air quality limits. While some officials and specialists have questioned the science linking nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to health issues, the briefing notes that the majority of researchers, the European Commission, and Germany's environment minister maintain that limits are based on sound science. The hearing aims to provide the evidence necessary to adjudicate appeals regarding diesel restrictions in 14 cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.

• The Higher Administrative Court of Münster ordered a 'science hearing' on 9-10 May 2019 to gather evidence from experts on monitoring networks, technical solutions for car traffic pollution, and the health impacts of air pollution to adjudicate appeals concerning 14 cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
• Legal actions are ongoing in 35 German cities to enforce air quality rules, with Germany's highest national court ruling that cities must introduce diesel restrictions where pollution exceeds legal limits; successes have already been achieved in 14 cities.
• There is a conflict regarding the scientific basis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limits: while Professor Dieter Köhler and 107 lung specialists questioned the health impacts of NO2, the European Commission, Germany's environment minister, and a report from the Leopoldina have affirmed that the limits are based on solid science.
• The EU legal limit for an annual average of NO2 is 40µg/m3, though Chancellor Angela Merkel attempted to limit diesel restrictions to urban areas where pollution exceeds 50µg/m3; however, a court in Reutlingen ruled that restrictions must be introduced even below 50µg/m3 if other measures are insufficient.

APA

ClientEarth (2019). Air quality in Germany – evidence hearing on the health impacts of air pollution. https://www.clientearth.org/media/esan53fq/clientearth-briefing-air-quality-in-germany-evidence-hearing-on-the-health-impacts-of-air-pollution-ce-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Air quality in Germany – evidence hearing on the health impacts of air pollution. 2019. https://www.clientearth.org/media/esan53fq/clientearth-briefing-air-quality-in-germany-evidence-hearing-on-the-health-impacts-of-air-pollution-ce-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Air quality in Germany – evidence hearing on the health impacts of air pollution |date=May 2019 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/esan53fq/clientearth-briefing-air-quality-in-germany-evidence-hearing-on-the-health-impacts-of-air-pollution-ce-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2019air, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Air quality in Germany – evidence hearing on the health impacts of air pollution}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/esan53fq/clientearth-briefing-air-quality-in-germany-evidence-hearing-on-the-health-impacts-of-air-pollution-ce-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }