http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/0,1518,360962,00.html The damage that road traffic continues to cause to health and the environment is unacceptable, notes a committee at the Federal Environment Ministry and calls for speed limits and higher ecotaxes. Berlin – “In addition to Germany, only three countries in Europe do not have a speed limit. These are Latvia, Estonia and Malta”, said Peter Michaelis of the Expert Council on Environment at the Federal Environment Ministry on Friday i n Berlin. The panel handed over a special report to the Federal Government, according to which, despite all technical advances, the car continues to cause significant damage to health. “The resulting damage to health and the environment caused by road traffic is still unacceptable,” the study says. The scientists call for the introduction of a speed limit of 120 km per hour on motorways in the medium term to protect the environment and health. The environmental tax should be continuously increased. Road traffic must be reduced, otherwise the environmental and health consequences could not be reduced to an acceptable level. A high level of mobility is also possible with less traffic. The experts criticise that the German automotive industry has “very much sleepy”. Road traffic is responsible for about 20 per cent of air pollution from coal. “Diesel soot particles increase the risk of lung cancer and lead to chronic respiratory diseases.” New vehicles need to be equipped with particulate filters as standard. 60 percent of the population also felt harassed by traffic noise. This increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. ADAC: Tempolimits do not bring anything to the environment minister Jürgen Trittin (Greens) said: “The car of the future must be highly efficient and emission-free. By 2020, we want to increase the share of alternative fuels in the market to 25 percent.” The Federal Ministry of Transport referred to climate protection measures already launched, such as eco-tax, truck toll, emission-related vehicle tax and the voluntary commitment of the automotive industry to reduce the average fuel consumption by 25 percent. The “Alliance of Pro-Rail” said: “The disastrous environmental balance of road transport, as the Council of Experts noted, shows that it is more necessary to move towards a sustainable transport policy than ever before.” However, environmental reports are regularly drawn up, “but little is happening”. On the other hand, the ADAC President Peter Mayer criticises the expert council’s demand. “A speed limit is not much for the environment either. ng has shown that emissions are only minimal at a speed limit,” said Mayer to the Berlin Tagesspiegel. In addition, motorways are the safest roads.