Dieselgate Pollution Causes 16,000 UK Deaths, 124,000 EU Early Deaths

The Dieselgate scandal, first revealed in 2015, involved carmakers installing illegal software in diesel vehicles to cheat pollution tests, resulting in significantly higher real-world emissions of nitrogen oxides. Recent studies by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), commissioned by ClientEarth, estimate that these excess emissions have caused approximately 16,000 premature deaths and 30,000 cases of childhood asthma in the UK alone, with an economic burden of around £96 billion due to health impacts. Across the UK and EU, the scandal has been linked to about 124,000 premature deaths and economic damages exceeding €760 billion, with projections warning of an additional 81,000 deaths and €430 billion in costs by 2040 if no action is taken. Although the U.S. responded with large fines and vehicle recalls, many European countries, including the UK, have lagged in addressing the issue, leaving millions of highly polluting diesel cars still on the roads. Experts emphasize the long-lasting and severe health impacts of diesel emissions, urging governments to take responsibility and implement decisive measures to remove or disable defeat devices to prevent further harm. The research underscores the critical need for governmental intervention to break the ongoing cycle of pollution-related illness and premature death caused by the scandal.