This shocking assessment comes from a report published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), commissioned by the environmental legal organization ClientEarth. The study is based on remote sensing data collected by the TRUE initiative and the International Council on Clean Transportation, the organization that exposed the original scandal in 2015.
France particularly affected by tampered engines
The figures are damning. Beyond the 124,000 premature deaths, these nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, well above legal limits, also caused 98,000 new cases of asthma in children, 25,000 years lived with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 15 million days of sick leave.
“Our calculations reveal the widespread and devastating health impacts of excessive diesel emissions – thousands of lives cut short, countless children developing asthma, and an immense burden of chronic disease,” explains Dr. Jamie Kelly, lead author of the study. “This is a crisis with a long and persistent legacy.”
The scale of the problem goes far beyond Volkswagen. More than 200 models sold between September 2009 and August 2019 are affected, including Peugeot, Renault, and Fiat vehicles. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, approximately 19 million of these vehicles are still circulating on European roads.
In France specifically, the study projects an additional 8,000 avoidable deaths by 2040 if the affected vehicles remain on the road. The cost to France would reach €146 billion in healthcare, lost productivity, and premature deaths. Across Europe, researchers anticipate 205,000 premature deaths linked to this excessive pollution, with total economic losses of €1.2 trillion.
Excessive emissions are linked to an increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. In France, tampered engines will cause 26,000 new cases of childhood asthma by 2040.
Paradoxically, while the United States quickly imposed massive recalls in 2015, Europe is dragging its feet. "The government's inaction following the Dieselgate scandal is still causing daily suffering, causing deaths, and costing the economy dearly," denounces Anne Lassman-Trappier of France Nature Environnement.
Car manufacturers have been trying to cover up the scandal for too long, accuses Emily Kearsey, a lawyer at ClientEarth: "It's been nearly a decade. Governments must stop procrastinating and hold polluters accountable now." However, European law requires national authorities and the European Commission to actively investigate and force manufacturers to act. The rules clearly state that vehicle owners should not bear the costs of recalls.
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