Overview
- In an open letter, groups led by Deutsche Umwelthilfe and including Greenpeace, the police union and the VdK urged a general Autobahn limit plus 80 km/h on rural roads and 30 km/h in towns.
- The coalition ties its call to the Bundesverwaltungsgericht finding that current measures cannot meet the 2030 target for emissions.
- Backers say the limits could cut transport emissions by up to 11.7 million tonnes of CO2 annually and reduce severe crashes, while a 2024 Umweltbundesamt analysis estimated about 7.4 million tonnes under a specific scenario.
- The Environment Ministry is collecting proposals for a revised climate program due by late March, while the Transport Ministry said it has not put forward a speed‑limit plan.
- Experts describe the policy as technically straightforward and an ADAC survey reports majority driver support, while a push for limits on the A95 highlights persistent bureaucratic hurdles.