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See coverage in Süddeutsche Zeitung, N-TV, Hamburger Abendblatt, edie, Electrive, Berliner Morgenpost and Tagesspiegel Background.
InfluenceMap's new report finds that BMW has emerged as the German automotive sector’s leading opponent of climate policy in Germany and Europe. While the German automotive industry has increasingly stated top-line support for the Paris Agreement and long-term climate targets - key groups like BMW and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) have advocated to weaken near-term climate regulations to reach such goals. The report demonstrates how the German auto sector more broadly has lobbied against two key policies - higher CO2 emissions standards for light-duty vehicles and ICE phase-out dates. The research further highlights ‘green’ PR campaigns German automakers have used to deflect growing public and government concerns over the sector’s climate footprint, with road transport estimated to account for 19% of Germany's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2020.
The research highlights the threat to German and EU climate targets if regulations are weakened by negative automotive industry climate policy engagement. This is significant due to the ongoing German coalition government’s negotiations, which will likely include a road transport decarbonization plan, and current EU parliamentary negotiations on CO2 standards for light-duty vehicles. The research also highlights Volkswagen's mixed but increasingly positive direct climate policy engagement - while remaining a key member of industry associations, including the VDA, with active negative climate policy engagement.
