Volkswagen Complaint Brought By Greenpeace Is Dismissed By A German Court.

A German court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental organization Greenpeace against Volkswagen to force the global automaker to cease selling gasoline and diesel cars starting in 2030.

The plaintiffs, who included Clara Meyer and the two leaders of Greenpeace Germany, also wanted to compel the second-largest automaker in the world to cut emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 2018.

The challenge brought by Greenpeace is based on a significant ruling rendered by Germany’s constitutional court in April 2021, which concluded that the government’s efforts to reduce CO2 emissions were inadequate to satisfy the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

As a result of the decision, the previous administration of Angela Merkel upped its 2030 goal for greenhouse emission reductions and moved forward the deadline for Germany to become carbon neutral by five years, to 2045.

Greenpeace argues that private businesses also have the same responsibility in their lawsuit against Volkswagen.

The court in Braunschweig, however, dismissed the environmental group’s arguments, stating that the legislature’s revised climate protection legislation already met its duty to safeguard residents’ rights.

The court ruled that “the responsibilities of a corporation in the private sector do not extend beyond the state’s duty of protection.”

By dismissing the complaint, the court, according to Volkswagen, had virtually validated its position.