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THE mayors of four major cities, Athens, Madrid, Mexico City and Paris, have stated their intent to ban diesel vehicles from their roads by 2025.

That announcement was made recently at a biennial meeting of city leaders in Mexico, and so far is long on rhetoric and short on detail.

“Today, we also stand up to say we no longer tolerate air pollution and the health problems and deaths it causes – particularly for our most vulnerable citizens,” said Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. “Big problems like air pollution require bold action, and we call on car and bus manufacturers to join us.”

So far there are no details on whether there will be a total ban on diesel vehicles in the four cities, or which city areas would be covered. The mayors of the four cities have also pledged to encourage alternative vehicles and promote walking and cycling infrastructure.diesel_3

Questions have been raised as to the practicality of a complete ban on diesel vehicles given the significant amount of public transport and logistical capacity that involves diesel-powered trucks and busses in most big cities.

It should be noted though that Tokyo has a long standing and very strict restrictions and bans on large diesel vehicles.
Paris too has taken steps to cut the impact of diesel cars and trucks. Vehicles registered before 1997 are banned from entering the city, and restrictions were already to increase each year until 2020.

There is also a growing chorus from those who want diesel vehicles banned from London.

According to the World Health Organisation some three million people die each year from causes linked to outdoor air pollution.diesel

Diesel engines contribute to such problems in two ways; the production of particulate matter and the emission of nitrogen oxides.

Particulate matter can penetrate the lungs and contribute to cardiovascular illness and death. Nitrogen oxides help form ground level ozone and this can exacerbate breathing difficulties, even for people without a history of respiratory problems.

Diesel engines and their emissions have had global publicity in recent times in the wake of the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal, and cracking down on them is increasingly occupying the minds of regulators.

If the mooted bans are successfully implemented in those cities it will likely just be a matter of time before other cities follow on.

By Daniel Cotterilldiesel_2

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