German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated that any attempt to rapidly abandon diesel technology is foolhardy, saying the fuel is required should Germany wish to meet its climate protection targets. The government of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany, which produces about a third of Germany’s total electricity, said it would not be able to switch completely off all diesel-powered plants by 2030, as planned. Germany's auto-sector provides 800,000 jobs and is a central election issue.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated that any attempt to rapidly abandon diesel technology is foolhardy, saying the fuel is required should Germany wish to meet its climate protection targets. Merkel implored German automakers to work to re-establish public trust in diesel, following a series of disastrous emissions scandals. Germany's auto-sector provides 800,000 jobs and is a central election issue.