HomeAbstract of 6th-ccgconfTesting Trust: Dieselgate, Scientific Oversight, and the Eu’s Climate–decarbonisation Agenda

Testing Trust: Dieselgate, Scientific Oversight, and the Eu’s Climate–decarbonisation Agenda

  • Nov 19, 2025
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Abstract Book of the 6th World Conference on Climate Change and Global Warming

Year: 2025

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Testing Trust: Dieselgate, Scientific Oversight, and the Eu’s Climate–decarbonisation Agenda

Laszlo Szegedi

ABSTRACT:

The Dieselgate scandal exposed structural weaknesses in the European system of automobile testing and scientific oversight, leading to reforms but also revealing persistent challenges. While new procedures, including on-road testing, have brought more realistic results, the system that has emerged is marked by excessive complexity and fragmentation. Two interrelated dimensions are particularly salient. First, the flexibility of data sources and regulatory mandates has enabled car manufacturers to exploit loopholes, undermining the credibility of testing outcomes and consumer trust. Second, the lack of coordination in national-level enforcement has resulted in uneven implementation and significant disparities across Member States. These two pillars—the malleability of mandates and data, and the disjointed enforcement landscape—together highlight the vulnerability of the EU’s composite administration to industry capture and regulatory incoherence. Even a decade after Dieselgate, and with recent findings showing similar deficiencies in gasoline powertrains, the regulatory architecture continues to struggle to deliver epistemically coherent outcomes across jurisdictions. Although some steps towards centralisation and stronger EU-level expertise have been taken, the institutional framework remains diffuse and difficult to align. Addressing these deficits is essential not only for restoring trust but also for meeting the Union’s broader commitments under the European Green Deal and its global role in the fight against climate change, decarbonisation, and CO₂ reduction. These challenges are further amplified by the regulatory and scientific dilemmas posed by the transition to hybrid and fully electric powertrain systems.

Keywords: Composite Administration, Decarbonisation, Dieselgate, Jrc, Scientific Oversight