Mercedes has filed a lawsuit against a German eco group that was seeking to ban the sale of cars with combustion engines that emit greenhouse gases after 2030.
A Stuttgart court has ruled in favor of carmakers, ruling that it is up to legislators to decide what action should be taken against climate change.
The judge said such decisions cannot be preempted by individual cases in civil courts.
The Deutsche Umwelthilfe Group wanted to order Mercedes-Benz not to sell vehicles with emission-causing internal combustion engines after the end of October 2030.
It also called for refraining from selling new vehicles with internal combustion engines that collectively emit more than 516 million tons of carbon dioxide by that date.
Deutsche Umwelthilfe said it planned to appeal to the Higher District Court, arguing that the politician’s inaction forced legal action.
Mercedes-Benz welcomed the verdict.
The company has lived up to its responsibilities and has come a long way towards climate neutrality, saying there is “no doubt” that climate protection is “one of the greatest challenges in human history.”
The judge’s decision is good news for Mercedes, which is now facing another allegation. Diesel emissions test cheating.
The lawsuit, filed by VZBZ, Germany’s leading consumer protection organization, is still ongoing.
