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Volkswagen to scrap diesel cars in Australia – Greenpeace UK comment

Publication date: 6th August 2018

Four women dismantle a VW Golf TDI diesel car at an unofficial fringe exhibition at the V&A to protest against Volkswagens continued support of polluting diesel engines.

Responding to the news that Volkswagen will stop the sale of diesel passenger cars in Australia, Morten Thaysen, clean air campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said:

“With diesel car sales collapsing globally, to most people it won’t be a huge surprise to see Volkswagen axing diesel cars in Australia. So it’s laughable that the company is still flying the flag for diesel and claiming that this decision was simply about internal practicalities.

“In the UK, diesel sales have fallen for the 16th consecutive month – down nearly 25%. This is an irreversible decline that even a child could spot. That’s because people are voting with their feet: they simply don’t want the noxious fumes and health impacts of air pollution for their families that come with diesel vehicles. The sooner companies like VW scrap diesel for good, in the UK and globally, the better. To clean up the air in our cities and protect the climate, we need a rapid shift to electric cars.”

ENDS

Notes

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