[ti:German Farmer Sues Volkswagen over Effects of Climate Change]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.04]A German farmer is suing automaker Volkswagen (VW)
[00:05.08]for being partly responsible for the effects of climate change.
[00:11.80]The man, Ulf Allhoff-Cramer, claims drier soil and heavier rains
[00:19.44]linked to climate change have affected his fields,
[00:24.00]cows and forest operations.
[00:27.36]He said these effects have harmed his family business.
[00:32.60]In the case, Allhoff-Cramer calls on VW to end its production
[00:40.16]of gasoline powered vehicles by 2030.
[00:44.44]German automakers rejected a similar demand
[00:49.64]from environmental groups last year.
[00:53.12]"Farmers are already being hit harder
[00:57.20]and faster by climate change than expected,"
[01:01.64]Allhoff-Cramer recently told reporters.
[01:05.44]He has argued that since VW is the second-largest automaker,
[01:11.80]it should take responsibility
[01:14.68]for environmental damage linked to climate change.
[01:19.28]During a recent hearing, a court in the western town of Detmold
[01:25.60]asked Allhoff-Cramer and his lawyers
[01:29.16]to provide additional details to support their legal arguments,
[01:34.88]Germany's dpa news agency reported.
[01:39.04]The judge also asked whether the farmer had already
[01:44.48]suffered climate-related damages or is still expecting them.
[01:49.88]The next court hearing will take place on September 9.
[01:56.00]The case is supported by the environmental group Greenpeace.
[02:01.36]The organization has supported similar legal efforts in Germany
[02:07.00]that sought to hold companies and the government responsible
[02:12.08]for the effects of climate change.
[02:15.04]Such cases have had mixed success.
[02:19.28]Some have been dismissed,
[02:22.08]while one made it to Germany's top court.
[02:25.64]Last year, the high court in that case
[02:29.48]ordered the government to increase efforts
[02:32.88]to reduce carbon emissions.
[02:35.64]Volkswagen said in a statement that it aims
[02:40.32]to reduce its emissions "as quickly as the business allows."
[02:45.96]VW has set a 2050 goal to cut carbon dioxide emissions to net-zero.
[02:55.52]"Volkswagen stands for climate protection
[02:59.28]and rapid decarbonization of the transport sector,
[03:04.36]but cannot meet this challenge alone," the company said.
[03:09.44]It added that such progress also depends on government rules,
[03:15.60]technological development and buyer behaviors.
[03:20.44]VW said lawmakers should be the ones to decide
[03:26.04]on climate change measures.
[03:28.64]The company said it would "defend this position
[03:32.76]and ask for the lawsuit to be dismissed."
[03:36.60]In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
[03:42.76]discovered VW was using software
[03:46.60]that let diesel cars pass emissions tests,
[03:51.28]but then turned off pollution controls during normal driving.
[03:56.36]The company apologized for its actions
[04:00.60]and paid tens of billions of dollars in fines,
[04:05.32]business costs and damages to car owners.
[04:10.96]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM