Ten years after the scandal known as "dieselgate" was first revealed, the diesel engine emissions fraud continues to have harmful effects on public health and the economy, but there is still time to limit the damage. That is the basis behind a lawsuit set to be filed against the French state before the Paris administrative court by three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Wednesday, September 17, Radio France and Le Monde have learned.

The consumer protection group CLCV, the environmental advocacy federation France Nature Environnement (FNE) and the international environmental law NGO ClientEarth are accusing French authorities of inaction over manipulated engines and failing to recall the vast majority of affected vehicles.

"These vehicles can emit between two and 10 times more nitrogen oxides [NOx] than they are supposed to," said Anne Lassman-Trappier, air quality spokesperson at FNE. In 2015, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) revealed that the German carmaker Volkswagen had fitted cars with a device able to detect regulatory compliance tests: During these checks, pollution control systems lowered engine emissions, but under normal driving conditions, the emission controls were disabled.

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