German Proposal to Ban Weekend Driving Draws Criticism

Radical Environmental Policy
A Total Ban on Weekend Drives?
Opposition Grows in Germany

While governments worldwide try to reduce environmental pollution, unexpected regulations often appear, causing controversy. In the case of France, parking fees for vehicles weighing 1.6 tons (3,527 pounds) or more will be increased threefold from September 2024.

Heavier vehicles increase social costs, such as accelerating road wear, and are directly linked to environmental problems. Amid intense public opposition to this, Germany is considering stronger regulations. How would people feel if you could never go on a weekend drive?

Comments made by the German Minister of Transportation
“A day-long driving ban won’t work”

According to a foreign news outlet, Cascoups, on April 13 (local time), German Transport Minister Volker Wissing argued that weekend vehicle driving could be banned entirely to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent letter to each political party in the National Assembly, he said, “Reducing traffic is only possible through restrictive measures that are difficult to convey to the public, such as an indefinite ban on driving on weekends.“

Previously, in an interview with Deutschland Punk radio, he warned, “Only half of the greenhouse gas reduction target can be achieved by banning driving for one day on the weekend,” and added, “People will have to permanently give up their car and truck for two days a week.” It is reported that these remarks were made while the coalition government discussed amendments to the Climate Protection Act.

Last year’s greenhouse gas emissions
Only the transportation sector exceeded the limit

Previously, the German Administrative Court ordered implementation measures for further reduction in November 2023, saying, “The government did not respond even though greenhouse gas emissions in sectors such as transportation and buildings exceeded the permitted limits.” According to an announcement by the German Federal Environment Agency, greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in 2023 decreased by 180 tons (about 400,000 pounds) compared to the previous year. However, it was found that the allowable figure under the Climate Protection Act was exceeded by 13 million tons.

The German Federal Environment Agency assessed that “the transportation sector falls far short of the target and is the only sector that deviates from the path prescribed by law.” Despite this, public opinion regarding Minister Wissing’s remarks is so bad that even the environmental groups Greenpeace and the Green Party have revolted. He has previously argued for incorporating greenhouse gas emissions targets into the Climate Protection Act.

Even environmental groups oppose

Clara Thompson, a mobility rights expert at Greenpeace, criticized the transport minister, saying, “The transport minister has wasted two years without climate protection measures in the transport sector,” adding, “The attempt to overturn his failure through political pressure is shameless and deceptive.” Green Party deputy leader Julia Ferlinden pointed out that “there are many options, such as limiting vehicle speeds,” and that “we should not instill fear in the public to get our way.”