In Germany, about two thirds of the working population drive to work by car. The average German driver spends about 100 hours a year in traffic jams [1].
In Germany's 22 largest urban areas traffic jams cost private households an additional 7.5 billion euros per year - that's 509 euros per household [2], which is caused solely by direct and indirect congestion costs.
The consequences of road traffic are devastating for the environment and thus for us humans. CO2 emissions have increased dramatically by 21 percent between 1990 and 2010 and continue to rise despite the overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU [3].
CO2 emissions from combustion engines in Germany rose by a total of 5.4 million tonnes in 2016 [4]. According to the EU, road traffic accounts for 40 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions. The EU commission further states that 400,000 people die prematurely every year in Europe because of high air pollution and 70,000 because of nitrogen oxides since 2003 [5].
The authorities therefore obliged the member states to draw up air pollution regulations to make the air cleaner. Germany, Europe and other nations, including through the Fridays for Future initiatives, currently have a perhaps unique opportunity for sustainable climate improvement on our planet.
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