Danish Cities Can Ban Fossil Fuel Cars in Zones

Starting from the new year, Danish municipalities will be able to prohibit vehicles with polluting emissions in specific areas of cities, as decided on Wednesday by a political majority. There are no permanent zero-emission zones in Europe yet, but according to environment minister Magnus Heunicke, it’s a necessary step toward reducing harmful particles and transitioning transportation. These zero-emission zones are envisioned as small, delimited urban areas easily traversable on foot or by switching to public transport or bicycles. The initiative, long sought after by municipalities to reduce local air pollution, is already being planned in cities like Copenhagen and Aarhus. Heunicke notes that traffic is a major pollution source, especially during rush hours. With the new law, municipal councils can opt for zero-emission zones affecting personal or all traffic including goods transport.