Environmental activists’ attempt to put an end to the history of internal combustion engines through the courtroom ended in failure. The Federal Court of Germany (BGH) put an end to the high-profile case in which the organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) attempted to legally force auto giants BMW and Mercedes-Benz to cease the sale of ICE vehicles by 2030. The judges decided that this issue is beyond their competence, effectively sending the activists to seek truth in the corridors of power.
Ambitions versus Legal Logic
Deutsche Umwelthilfe’s (DUH) lawsuit was based on a rather bold assertion. Activists insisted that the CO2 emissions from BMW and Mercedes fleets have such a massive impact on the climate that it violates the constitutional rights of citizens to personal integrity and the protection of the future. The logic was straightforward: if a company wants to act responsibly, it should voluntarily abandon gasoline and diesel within a few years.
Previously, DUH had already won court cases by putting pressure on the government and major corporations, so automakers took the threat seriously. However, this time the Federal Court of Germany (BGH) was steadfast in its vision of power distribution.
Why Judges Refused to "Kill" Internal Combustion Engines
The court’s main argument is that a company cannot be punished for exceeding a CO2 limit that does not officially exist for individual legal entities. Germany has a nationwide emissions limit enshrined in the Federal Climate Protection Act, which complies with the Paris Agreement. However, it is assigned to the state, not to a specific plant in Munich or Stuttgart. BMW never received a "personal quota" that it could violate.
Furthermore, the court drew a clear line between law and politics. The question of when exactly internal combustion engines should disappear — and whether they should disappear at all — is a political decision. Such verdicts should be made by elected lawmakers in parliament, not by judges. The connection between the sale of another gasoline sedan and the violation of someone’s constitutional rights seemed too far-fetched to the court.
Clear Serenity for the Auto Industry
For BMW, Mercedes, and also for Volkswagen and Audi, this decision means legal serenity for the coming years. If the sale of cars is profitable and complies with current EU standards, no court will stop the assembly line based on similar claims. It is worth noting that BMW feels particularly confident here.
Source: BimmerToday