Growth of cars in Aichach-Friedberg: Alarm for climate protection!

Growth of cars in Aichach-Friedberg: Alarm for climate protection!

Mobility in the Aichach-Friedberg district could set a new record, although the circumstances are not necessarily positive. According to current figures, the total number of registered cars as of January 1, 2025 is 91,131, an increase of 935 vehicles compared to the previous year. This is a sign that the car remains the means of choice for many people to get around in everyday life, even if the population in the district has fallen from around 138,600 to 137,000. An incredible 657 cars per 1,000 inhabitants are on the road in the district, while in the neighboring city of Augsburg there are only 468 cars per 1,000 inhabitants.

But what does this tell us about the climate situation? The increasing car density is making it more difficult for people in rural areas to do without a car. A lack of infrastructure and difficulties in accessing shopping facilities and doctors without a car are hampering climate protection. According to that Federal Environment Agency The transport sector is responsible for around 22% of German greenhouse gas emissions and has increased its share of these by 9 percentage points since 1990.

Growing electromobility, but not fast enough

At least there is a ray of hope: the proportion of electric cars in the district is currently 4%. This makes it the second largest in Swabia, only the city of Kempten has a higher proportion. Nevertheless, the increase in electric vehicles is far from sufficient to slow down the ongoing increase in CO₂ emissions in the transport sector, which is continuously contrary to the federal government's climate goals. The federal government is pursuing the goal of reducing traffic by at least 65% compared to 1990 by 2030, but given current developments this appears to be little more than a pious wish.

While electromobility has made progress in recent years and the charging infrastructure is being expanded, new registrations of electric cars are stagnating and only make up around three percent of the vehicle population in Germany KEA BW reported. The Federal Environment Agency points out that a radical change is required in order to achieve the climate goals in the transport sector. In 2023, emissions from the transport sector amounted to around 146 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.

The challenge of the transport transition

With the introduction of the Federal Climate Protection Act on January 1, 2020, the course has been set for a turnaround in transport. However, in order to actually achieve the targeted reduction in emissions of 26 million tonnes by 2030, a combination of increasing efficiency, promoting electric vehicles and expanding public transport is necessary, according to the Federal Environment Agency. The resulting challenges, such as reducing climate-damaging subsidies and creating a solid charging infrastructure, are enormous.

In summary, it can be said that the transport transition in Aichach-Friedberg represents a challenge that must be tackled at both a political and social level. Big words alone are not enough - concrete actions are needed to achieve the climate goals and, according to the data, to finally get back to work on more sustainable transport.