German court rules government must improve air quality program

The German federal government must improve its National Air Quality Program in certain areas, the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court ruled on Tuesday.

The measures listed so far were not sufficient in all respects to meet European targets for reducing air pollutant emissions, the judges said.

With the decision, the organization Environmental Action Germany (DUH) once again won – at least partially – a case against the German government.

It was only in mid-May that the Superior Administrative Court ruled that the federal government needed to improve its climate action program.

In the current case, the focus was on the program adopted in 2019 and updated in May 2024, which includes numerous measures aimed at helping Germany achieve European targets for reducing air pollutant emissions.

These pollutants include ammonia, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

The ruling is not final: due to its fundamental importance, the judges allowed an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.