Environmentalists ask that low-emission zones be implemented by decree throughout Spain

From T&E they consider that the areas of restricted circulation must be of sufficient size, so that they cause a transfer from polluting mobility to more sustainable modes

The environmental organization Transport & Environment (T&E) has asked the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge to approve by decree the obligation to establish low emission zones (ZBE) in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants before 2023.

In these areas, only private and commercial vehicles that are ‘zero emissions’ or low emissions that do not exceed 95 grams _CO2/km in the WLTP cycle should be able to access. To do this, it is “necessary to incorporate” a _CO2 emission threshold in the system of environmental badges of vehicles.

In addition, in order for these defined areas to be effective in the fight against climate change, they must be of sufficient size, so that they “cause a transfer from polluting mobility to more sustainable modes”.

According to T&E, the Court of Justice of the European Union is investigating Spain’s breaches of air quality in the urban centers of Madrid and Barcelona, for not having taken the urgent measures that were required to tackle the high levels of pollution. They also consider that regulatory development is “fundamental” to establish common minimum criteria and requirements and should ensure the effectiveness of ZBE Low Emission Zones as a crucial tool in the reduction of carbon dioxide (_CO2).

The organization has pointed out that, today, there are cities like Zaragoza that want to limit their ZBE only to the historic center or Salamanca, which expects the ZBE to be an area within the center of the city, which largely no longer has traffic.

Source: ABC