BMW, VW, Mercedes Are Being Sued By Greenpeace and German Climate NGO

Greenpeace and Germany climate NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) are suing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen for the companies’ perceived climate inaction.

Greenpeace and DUH  are calling on the companies to “significantly accelerate the[ir] climate-friendly restructuring” by stopping the sale of combustion engines by 2030.

In the two pressure groups’ claim letters, they state that the current and planned measures of the automakers contradict the Paris climate targets and, therefore, are illegal.

According to DUH, the German automotive sector’s sales of diesel and petrol engines around the world amount to a greater CO2 footprint than the whole of Germany’s in 2019.

“Anyone who delays climate protection harms others and is thus acting illegally,” says Roda Rehyen, one of Greenpeace’s lawyers. 

“That has been clear since the decision from Karlsruhe and that also and especially applies to the German auto industry with its gigantic global CO2 footprint. Civil law can and must prevent corporations from destroying our livelihoods and depriving our children and grandchildren of the right to a secure future.”

Daimler said it was committed to the goals of the Paris climate accords and was already on the path to climate neutrality. It added it would provide a further statement later in the day.

Volkswagen and BMW were not immediately available to comment.

“It’s about the future of our children when we complain today about an end to the production of combustion cars from 2030 onwards,” says Barbara Metz, deputy federal manager of DUH.

“Like hardly any other company, BMW has blocked the exit from the internal combustion engine and a credible switch to economical, battery-electric cars. While we are feeling the consequences of the climate crisis more and more clearly, BMW is constantly developing new combustion SUVs and sedans. With our lawsuits, we want to achieve the exit from the internal combustion engine that is necessary at BMW. “