Environment
and Mobility – Berlin's
Project of an
Environmental
Zone
From
1st January 2008,
Berlin will establish
an environmental
zone for the
inner city. It
will cover the
whole area of
90 sqkm located
within the urban
railway ring
(S-Bahn).
The
Berlin environmental
zone is part
of an integrated
policy for urban
development,
transport and
environment.
It is part of
a package of
measures aimed
at
-
lowering
motorised traffic
above all within
the inner city
of Berlin by
2015 by an
amount of around
20 %, and
-
decreasing
emissions
at the
source,
at vehicles,
to a degree
sufficient
enough to
enable
standard
values
applicable
to air pollutants
and noise
pollution
to be observed
in the time
ahead.
The
scheme provides
for a lasting
ban on high-emission
vehicles to enter
the whole zone
located within
the inner urban
railway ring
(S-Bahn). The
purpose is to
provide an incentive
to replace high-emission
cars more rapidly
by new environmentally
friendly ones.
The environmental
zone is designed
to decrease emissions
in the short
and medium term.
The initial phase
as from 2008
is primarily
directed at reducing
PM 10 emissions.
In Berlin, a
total of 90,000
cars are affected
by this plan,
amongst them
around 29,000
lorries and another
27,000 diesels.
Similarly,
the second phase
as of 2010 aims
at decreasing
NO2 emissions,
since standard
values will become
effective as
of 2010. In addition,
approximately
another 34,000
cars will fall
under this scheme.
The
potential for a
decrease of PM
in motorised traffic
that can only be
achieved by establishing
an environmental
zone is at around
10 % by excluding
these cars from
traffic. Air
pollution can
thus be brought
below the standard
value for around
10,000 inhabitants
on roads with
heavy traffic.
The effect of
a decrease in
pollution will
be twice as high
when additional
measures will
be carried out
to reduce motorised
traffic. With
regard to NO2 emissions,
the potential
for decrease
is estimated
at below 10 %,
since improvements
in European exhaust
emission standards
fell short of
expectations.
Within
the context of
ongoing consultations
for the “Green
Paper” of
the EU Commission
and to decrease
further emissions,
a Berlin initiative
is aiming at
a wider approach
that combines
the former Euro
5 and 6 standards
with the support
of refitting
and incentives
related to fuels.
It is not sufficient
to prescribe
ambitious standards
for local authorities.
If cities in
Europe intend
to succeed in
their efforts
for clean air
and less noise
there is need
to assist them
through stronger
action and determined
policy at the
European level.
Policy-makers
must help to
ensure that full
use is made of
technologies
available to
decrease emissions
at their source.
