The article, “Germany Has Proven the Modern Automobile Must Die,” authored by Atkin et al. deliberates on environmental pollution, particularly, the global warming issue emerging from the ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the automobiles. The article first appeared in the New Republic, and the Climate Desk collaboration highlights the ways that Germany was supposed to be a model for solving the global warming issue. The announcement came into action since 2007 with Germany projecting for a 40% greenhouse emission by the year 2020. The authors describe this objective as bold and aggressive since it’s a worldwide concern and if Germany would achieve it, then it’s also possible elsewhere. The authors further go-ahead to recognize Germany’s advances towards this issue and on the other hand highlighting on the shortfalls the country might face in achieving its set goals.

The article profoundly highlights Germany’s global warming issues from the greenhouse gas emission as one of the leading automobile and manufacturing sectors. Because of its leading status quo in the gas emission from its advanced manufacturing and automobile sector, its fight for greenhouse gases reduction would correspondingly impact other nations. Interestingly, the article states that, since 2007, Germany’s government has managed to cut back the greenhouse gas emissions by 27.7%. A reduction which has been termed as a significant achievement in a country surrounded by highly developed manufacturing and automobile sector. However, with a little more than one year left, despite allocating $580 billion towards a low carbon energy country, Germany is unlikely to achieve its set goals of reducing the harmful carbon-dioxide emissions by 2020.

Besides being ambitious at the time of setting their goals, the unlikelihood of Germany achieving these goals seems to emanate from the car industry that did not come along during the implementation phase of the plan. Changing the way we power our offices and homes is very critical in achieving this goal, but the most aggressive way for Germany is to overhaul the gas-powered automobile and any culture that surrounds its usage. And that brings forth the question of how can this be done?

The article shows that the automobile industry is the leading contributor to greenhouse emission gases because of their inability to emit large amounts of aerosols to counter the greenhouse gases produced. This is contrary to the industries and other power sectors which release large quantities of same gases, but besides, they emit sulfates as well as other aerosols that cause a cooling effect by creating light reflection and altering clouds which reduced the net impact of greenhouse gas emission. Thus, the automobile industry, to a more considerable extent, has failed the Germany government in its fight for a reduced carbon energy system.

The problems addressed in this article could be solved in the early stages by immediately cutting back on these cooling aerosols with the aim of concentrating and countering regular air pollution. Besides, the closure of coal-fired power plants could have taken place almost the same year of implementing the campaign measures. Despite making great strides in closing down most coal-powered plants, the time doesn’t favour the goals since it’s almost the deadline. And nothing has been done to change the culture of the motor-vehicle industry in Germany and its competitors like the USA where the ability to buy a heavy consumption car is considered as “freedom.” And the way to reduce the emission in the automobile industry is to put strict measures on the kind of vehicles to use, such as, electric cars, or solar cars which do not need fuel to propel.

Another way for Germany to attain these targets is through creating public awareness and educate her people on the importance of adopting and taking up the culture of using public transport. If a significant percentage of people adopts and start to use public means such as train and high capacity carrying buses to work, it will reduce the net emission as compared to everyone driving to the workplace. However, this strategy might take time and might not be effective in reducing carbon emissions. As such, Germany needs more stringent measures and a different culture to attain a reduced carbon energy system. For example, people must be taught and encouraged to use bicycles and ride sharing to create more efficiency in this method.

In conclusion, in the article, it’s evident that traditional culture contributes a lot to higher levels of automobile greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. And the only way to attain reduced carbon targets, it’s through the world adopting different culture methods such as using bicycles and use of public transport to help save the planet from global warming.

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