Air quality boost in Danish cities after diesel ban

Air quality has improved in Denmark’s largest cities since the ban on older diesel cars without particulate filters in environmental zones came into effect on October 1, 2023. According to a report by the National Center for Environment and Energy, particle pollution within these zones has been reduced by 36%, according to DR. These zones include Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Frederiksberg. Furthermore, all diesel-powered cars, trucks, buses, and vans must have a particulate filter to enter the zones. Researcher Steen Solvang Jensen highlighted that although environmental zones are beneficial for reducing emissions, there’s also a need for broader national and international regulation. Driving a diesel car without a filter into these zones results in a fine of 1,500 DKK, with 3,045 fines issued in the first month, 1,786 of which were in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency to TV 2 Kosmopol.