Professor Königstorfer, how do you evaluate the Diesel scandal that was caused by some German automobile manufacturers?
I was very disappointed by the tricks some automobile manufacturer used to cheat consumers. The behavior is corrupt and needs to be punished.
Do you think politics comes a stepp closer to the aim of having cleaner cities in Germany with bans for diesel cars?
I do not think so. Besides diesel cars there are further more sources of bad air quality, such as industry and agriculture. They have to be taken into account besides the road traffic. Road traffic increases the encumbrance of ethereal, nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. Unfortunately, many German citizens think that the problem of bad air can be solved with the renunciation of old diesel cars. But this is not the case. I rather expect the opposite.
Why do you expect the opposite?
Consumers think differently. They do not calculate on a daily basis how high their contribution to bad air is. If they think that the problem of bad air can be solved through banning old diesel cars, the may even become more careless with the issue. This is called 'licensing': consumers have the feeling to have reached a goal and then dedicate themselves to reach exactly the opposite goal. This can be explained by higher self-esteem.
That means citizens can drive the car even more when they think that the problem is solved?
Yes, exactly. This has not been tested empirically, but would fit with empirical results from other fields in health and sustainability. For example, buyers of especially energy-saving washing machines do the laundry more often than before. The energy-saving effect falls flat and even more energy is spent than before. People who consume so-called fitness-food are less active after consuming the food. Licensing effects cause these effect, they take place, because people cannot and also do not want to control themselves all the time. The effect is mostly unconcious. It may also lead to people use the car more often – and ironically ride the bike, walk or use public transport less often.
Back to the diesel problem: What can citizens do, what can politics do to avoid these effects?
Of course, the issue is complex. First the acceptance of the neccessity of certain measures has the be risen in the public. This has to be done based on a honest discussion: Automobile lobbyism has to be banned by for example taking over the limits of air load defined by the World Health Organization for Europe. Citizens have to develop a feeling for when they contribute to bad air via their own behavior. Of course, it is uncomfortable to change daily learned behavior – routines. This is not working out from one day to the other and has to be accompanied by trainings. Lung diseases rarely occur as an immediate consequence of bad air, so the direct feedback is missing. Nevertheless the consequences have to be faced later: Institutiones from all over the world are warning from underestimated consequences of bad air. Bad air harms everyone – irretrievably! It will become a central duty to find solutions for the future that guarantee people the mobilty they want, but have no or only small effects on climate change.
Contact
Chair of Sport and Health Management
Prof. Dr. Jörg Königstorfer
Team assistant: Mirjam Eggers
Uptown München Campus D
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 Munich
Phone +49.89.289.24559
Fax +49.89.289.24642
info.mgt@sg.tum.de