Protest in Madrid as conservatives suspend ban on most polluting cars
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS JUNE 29, 2019 / 3:14 PM / UPDATED 21 MINUTES AGO
Protest in Madrid as conservatives suspend ban on most polluting cars
MADRID (Reuters) - Thousands protested in Madrid on Saturday against the suspension of curbs on polluting cars by the new conservative city hall, raising fears that environmental rollbacks seen in the United States may be spreading to Europe.
The first reversal of environmental policies by a major European city comes despite soaring global environmental concerns and is a fresh sign of growing divisions in Spain after a series of inconclusive elections in April and May.
Last November Madrid’s then far-left government banned most petrol and diesel cars from its center to tackle high levels of nitrogen dioxide. The policy was known as “Madrid central” and it was intended to bring Madrid into line with EU clean air rules which it had been violating since 2010.
“Yes we can, I do want Madrid central,” chanted the protesters. Some were holding banners that read “I want to breathe free” and “We aspire to have a Madrid without smoke”.
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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-environment-protests/protest-in-madrid-as-conservatives-suspend-ban-on-most-polluting-cars-idUSKCN1TU0VS
