While Europe is relying on environmentally friendly e-cars, Africa threatens to degenerate into a deportation point for vehicles powered by fossil fuels. According to the UN Environment Program (UNEP), Africa’s environment is polluted by a flood of discarded used cars from industrialized countries. “Millions of used cars, vans and minibuses exported from Europe, Japan and the US to developing countries contribute significantly to air pollution and hinder efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change,” said a Unep report released on Monday.

Don’t miss any news! With our daily newsletter you will receive all the news from heise online every morning from the past 24 hours.

The Unep also sees the report Used Vehicles and the Environment as dangers to road safety. Many of the used cars are not roadworthy and lead to an increase in fatal accidents – for example in countries such as Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Burundi. The high fuel consumption and the relatively high maintenance costs of the cars are also worrying.

14 Millions of used vehicles Between 2015 and 2018 are worldwide 14 Millions of used cars have been exported, of which 80 percent went to poor countries. “More than half of it went to Africa,” the report said. A smaller part also goes to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia or Latin America.

Two thirds of the for the study examined 146 States have only weak or very weak restrictions on the import of used cars. There are also only a few countries in developed countries with export standards for such vehicles. The United Nations has therefore started an initiative to establish minimum standards for the import of used cars.

The ways the used cars from the USA, the EU and Japan.

(Image: Unep)

In 18 of the countries examined, there is a strict import ban for all used vehicles. This would mean that no old and environmentally harmful used cars would come there, but then there would be the risk that new vehicles with low standards would be introduced.

From Germany came in 2016 around 24 percent of EU exports , the largest of them outside Europe in turn to West Africa. On the German North Sea coast, for example, a terminal for shipping European used cars to Africa went into operation just a month ago. From Wilhelmshaven should be scarce 60. 000 Cars are shipped to North Africa every year.

But the Netherlands in particular is an important hub in Europe. An export study carried out by the local government showed that most used cars were no longer registered for road traffic when they were exported. Often it was unsalable and discarded rust arbors that went to Nigeria and other West African countries. They were on average 16 to 20 years old and no longer met the Euro 4 emission standards. Environment Minister Stientje Van Veldhoven called for a coordinated European approach and solidarity with African countries.

New standards They’re already going ahead. The West African confederation Ecowas has just issued new standards for fuels and used cars. Africa’s planned free trade agreement, which should pave the way for the world’s largest single market with 1.2 billion people, is also seen as an opportunity to limit Europe’s exports of decommissioned cars. The automotive industry, which is mainly based in South Africa, sees it as a disruptive factor in the sale of more environmentally friendly new cars.

“If the conditions are right, Africa’s potential for new cars is up to five million new cars per year says Thomas Schäfer, who recently joined Skoda