Not many years ago, the government recommended the Norwegian people to buy diesel over gasoline. But since then it has become clear that they emit about 70 times more of the harmful NO2 molecule than gasoline cars. So, the Institute of Transport Economics (Transportøkonomisk institutt, TØI) now proposes diesel cars to be prohibited in big cities of Norway.
Minister of Environment Bård Vegar Solhjell (SV) thinks it’s a good idea to look at collective solutions, but also points out that the proposal is not the solution alone.
Solhjell noted they can consider the proposal by emphasizing that they must be tough on both petrol and diesel cars, which in sum leads to large local emissions.
Diesel Cars and Environmental Impact
According to the research at Standford University, Despite lower carbon dioxide emissions, diesel cars may promote more global warming than gasoline cars
Laws that favor the use of diesel, rather than gasoline, engines in cars may actually encourage global warming, according to a new study. Although diesel cars obtain 25 to 35 percent better mileage and emit less carbon dioxide than similar gasoline cars, they can emit 25 to 400 times more mass of particulate black carbon and associated organic matter (“soot”) per kilometer [mile]. The warming due to soot may more than offset the cooling due to reduced carbon dioxide emissions over several decades, according to Mark Z. Jacobson, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University.
