German court rejects farmer’s climate suit vs Volkswagen

BERLIN (AP) — A German court has rejected a farmer’s bid to force automaker Volkswagen to end the sale of vehicles with combustion engines by 2030. The farmer said in the case at the state court in the western town of Detmold that drier soil and heavier rains due to climate change are harming his fields, cattle and commercial forests. He argued that Volkswagen is partly to blame for that as the mass production of vehicles running on gasoline contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. The court ruled Friday that the suit was unfounded. It said that it couldn’t establish that the alleged damage to the plaintiff’s property, health and rights could be remedied by the measures he demanded alone.