Berlin and 2035

Back in December, the Senate of the city of Berlin (not the federal government, but the state government)....acted on a motion and declared a 'climate emergency'.

The plan presented this week....if you follow the magazine Focus.....says that a absolute ban on gas/diesel cars will start up in the inner 'circle' (where the S-Bahn or subway system is operated) in 2030.  Five years will pass, and the same vehicles will be forbidden for the entire city. 

The draft of this 'law'?  Based on various comments....I'd say that it's likely to draw a significant amount of conflict. 

First, you could likely predict that tourism in the city will basically die off....if the tourist bus traffic (all diesel) is tossed off the streets.

How garbage trucks will function?  Unknown.  Same way with police vehicles, fire rescue vehicles, and construction vehicles. 

The daily delivery of goods and items?  A mystery as well.

So this will likely be tossed around and residents of the city will have a long laugh.  What might be salvaged out of this?  They might be able to convince the public to mark off two or three main streets in the city for bicycle traffic only.  Highway 1 going through the Tier Garden area?  Ha....that won't happen on that street.  Nor will it happen on Tiergarten Strasse adjacent to it.

Is this high on the priority list of topics for the residents of the city?  I kinda doubt it.  They certainly want BER (the new airport) to be finished and operational.  They certainly want the crime levels to decrease.  And they'd like to see the subway and tram service 'improved' (if that is physically possible).

This is the current problem with environmental issues.....the solutions put out there for public viewing.....don't really talk to the realities of life.  If you were to take this to the next level....just discussing the idea of letting diesel boats, or tourist vessels to use Spree River would be a big deal.  Some true environmentalists would even go to suggest that you should limit the number of planes landing at BER to just forty per day.....to limit carbon 'pain' on the region.

An oppositionist might look at this strategy and suggest that people that contribute to Berlin society (actually work)....are the only people you should allow to live within the city limits, and everyone else needs to be moved beyond the city limits....to limit carbon within the city itself.