Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Chemical pollution · Germany · 2015

Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured. Disputed
People
  • About 1,200 people died. estimate
    Modelled estimate for Volkswagen alone, 2008–2015, Germany and neighbouring countries (Chossière et al., 2017, as cited in Jonson et al.).
What the record lacks: 2 none on record · 4 insufficient · 1 not measured · 3 disputed · 1 unclear See the gaps
Accounts of the harm differ
Were other manufacturers' on-road NOx emissions within the law?
  • Researchers ICCT: Real-world NOx from 15 diesel cars averaged about seven times the Euro 6 limit, mostly in normal driving. International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)
  • Government and regulators UK Department for Transport: NOx was higher on the road than in the laboratory for all manufacturers' vehicles, but no VW-style defeat devices were found; over-limit emissions from other makers were largely legal under laboratory-only type approval. UK Department for Transport

Volkswagen said the diesel emissions scandal had cost it €31.3 billion in fines and settlements by March 2020. Of a €1 billion payment ordered in Germany in 2018, €5 million was labelled a fine.

€5m of €1bnPart of the 2018 German payment by Volkswagen labelled a fine
Order of the Braunschweig public prosecutor, 13 June 2018; the remaining €995 million was disgorgement of economic benefit.

Status As of April 2026: the German 2018 orders against Volkswagen and Audi were accepted; Rupert Stadler was convicted under a plea agreement in 2023; the Winterkorn trial was suspended in July 2025 with no verdict recorded.

What?
Volkswagen's diesel emissions case led to administrative orders in Germany totalling €1 billion for Volkswagen and €800 million for Audi, a US criminal penalty and criminal proceedings against two former chief executives; the company stated a total cost of €31.3 billion. Business Insurance
Where?
Germany and the United States; the modelled health effects cover Germany, neighbouring countries and the EU28 plus Norway and Switzerland. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
When?
From 2015; German orders 13 June and 16 October 2018; cost stated March 2020; Stadler plea June 2023; Winterkorn trial suspended July 2025. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
Who?
Gained
  • Volkswagen AG (potentially) — A tax lawyer estimated the company could in theory deduct 99.5% of the €1 billion German payment, returning about €300 million; whether it did was not found.
Lost
  • German public budgets — The same tax lawyer said the cost of any deduction would be spread nationally through the federal sharing key, while the fine went to Lower Saxony.
Harmed
  • People exposed to diesel NOx in Europe — Modelled estimates: almost 10,000 premature deaths in 2013 from all diesel cars and vans in the EU28, Norway and Switzerland; about 1,200 over 2008–2015 from Volkswagen alone. Environmental Research Letters (Jonson et al.)
Why?
The research material does not state Volkswagen's reasons. It records that laboratory-only type approval left over-limit on-road emissions from other makers largely legal (UK Department for Transport, 2016). UK Department for Transport
How?
German prosecutors issued administrative orders combining a fine of €5 million (the statutory maximum for a negligent regulatory breach) with disgorgement of economic benefit; US authorities concluded a criminal plea agreement. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
In proportion Of the €1 billion paid under the Braunschweig order, €5 million, or 0.5%, was labelled a fine. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

The research record dates the Volkswagen diesel emissions case from 2015. It produced administrative orders in Germany, a criminal penalty in the United States and criminal proceedings against former executives of Volkswagen and Audi.

Volkswagen stated at its March 2020 results that the scandal had cost €31.3 billion (about US$34.7 billion) in fines and settlements. Reuters reported “more than €32bn” in June 2021. No newer cumulative total was found.

On 13 June 2018 the Braunschweig public prosecutor ordered Volkswagen to pay €1 billion: €5 million as a fine, the statutory maximum for a negligent regulatory breach, and €995 million as disgorgement of economic benefit. Volkswagen did not appeal. On 16 October 2018 the Munich II public prosecutor ended the proceedings against Audi with a €800 million order (€5 million fine and €795 million disgorgement), which Audi accepted. A tax lawyer estimated that Volkswagen could in theory deduct 99.5% of the €1 billion and receive about €300 million back, while the fine went to Lower Saxony and the cost of any deduction would be spread across the country; the research record found no information on whether the deduction was used.

Other manufacturers' diesels also exceeded limits on the road. An ICCT white paper of 11 October 2014 tested 15 diesel cars, 12 of them Euro 6, with portable emissions monitoring, and found real-world nitrogen oxides (NOx) averaging about seven times the Euro 6 limit (about 560 against 80 mg/km), mostly in normal driving. The UK Department for Transport reported on 21 April 2016 that NOx was higher on the road than in the laboratory “for all manufacturers' vehicles”, but found no VW-style defeat devices; over-limit emissions from other makers were largely legal under laboratory-only type approval. Modelled studies put almost 10,000 premature deaths in 2013 (EU28, Norway and Switzerland) on NOx from all diesel cars and vans, about 38,000 deaths globally in 2015 on excess diesel NOx, and about 1,200 deaths over 2008 to 2015 on Volkswagen alone (Germany and neighbouring countries).

Rupert Stadler, the former Audi chief executive, was convicted under a plea agreement in June 2023, receiving a suspended prison sentence of one year and nine months and a payment of €1.1 million. The trial of Martin Winterkorn, the former Volkswagen chief executive, was suspended in July 2025 on health grounds. In the United States Volkswagen AG agreed a criminal penalty of US$2.8 billion. Separately, Transparency International US reported that in 2024 a Volkswagen representative sat on the advisory group of the carbon-credit registry Verra, and Volkswagen was the seventh-largest buyer of credits; Volkswagen was also among named buyers of credits from the Kariba REDD+ project in Zimbabwe, at least €10 million according to the research record.

  1. 201411 October: ICCT white paper finds real-world NOx about seven times the Euro 6 limit in 15 diesel cars
  2. 2015Volkswagen diesel case dated from 2015
  3. 201621 April: UK Department for Transport finds on-road NOx above laboratory levels for all manufacturers' vehicles; no VW-style defeat devices found
  4. 2017May and September: Nature and Environmental Research Letters studies model premature deaths from excess diesel NOx
  5. 201813 June: Braunschweig prosecutor orders VW to pay €1bn (€5m fine, €995m disgorgement); 16 October: Audi €800m order accepted
  6. 2020March: Volkswagen states €31.3bn in fines and settlements
  7. 2021June: Reuters reports ‘more than €32bn’
  8. 2023June: former Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler convicted under a plea agreement
  9. 2025July: trial of former VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn suspended on health grounds
  10. 2026April: Transparency International US report (via REDD-Monitor) on Volkswagen's seat on Verra's advisory group

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“for all manufacturers' vehicles”

UK Department for Transport testing programme, on NOx being higher on the road than in the laboratory · 21 April 2016 · UK Department for Transport

“more than €32bn”

Reuters, on the cost to Volkswagen · June 2021

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

Were other manufacturers' on-road NOx emissions within the law?
Researchers
ICCT

Real-world NOx from 15 diesel cars averaged about seven times the Euro 6 limit, mostly in normal driving.

International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT)
Government and regulators
UK Department for Transport

NOx was higher on the road than in the laboratory for all manufacturers' vehicles, but no VW-style defeat devices were found; over-limit emissions from other makers were largely legal under laboratory-only type approval.

UK Department for Transport
How much of the 2018 German payment was a penalty rather than disgorgement, and who bears the tax cost?
Government and regulators
Braunschweig public prosecutor

Ordered €1 billion: €5 million fine and €995 million disgorgement of economic benefit.

Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
Company or project
Volkswagen AG

Did not appeal the order.

Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
Researchers
A tax lawyer (unnamed)

Estimated that Volkswagen could in theory deduct 99.5% of the amount and receive about €300 million back, with the cost of the deduction spread nationally.

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

    Recorded

    Who gained

    Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

    Reached nature or the ground

    Not published
    No figure published.

    Gained elsewhere

    Not totalled
    Currency: EUR · Window: . All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.

    Responses on record

    • Volkswagen AG (13 June 2018): Did not appeal the Braunschweig prosecutor's order of €1 billion. · Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
    • Audi AG (16 October 2018): Accepted the €800 million order and acknowledged its responsibility (the title of Volkswagen's announcement). · Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)
    • Volkswagen AG (March 2020): Stated that the scandal had cost €31.3 billion (about US$34.7 billion) in fines and settlements. · Business Insurance

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    1. 2018-06-13Claimant won€1000000bn €5 million fine plus €995 million disgorgement of economic benefit
      Braunschweig administrative fine order against Volkswagen AG
      Braunschweig public prosecutor (administrative fine order) · Administrative · Braunschweig public prosecutor → Volkswagen AG

      Order issued in connection with the diesel crisis; Volkswagen did not appeal. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)

    2. 2018-10-16Claimant won€800000bn €5 million fine plus €795 million disgorgement of economic benefit
      Munich II administrative fine order against Audi AG
      Munich II public prosecutor (administrative fine order) · Administrative · Munich II public prosecutor → Audi AG

      Proceedings ended with a fine order that Audi accepted. Volkswagen AG (ad hoc announcement)

    3. 2023-06Guilty plea€1100bn Payment agreed in the plea
      Criminal case against Rupert Stadler, former Audi chief executive
      German criminal court (not named) · Criminal · Prosecution → Rupert Stadler

      Convicted under a plea agreement in June 2023, with a suspended prison sentence of one year and nine months and a payment of €1.1 million. TechXplore

    4. Ongoing
      Criminal trial of Martin Winterkorn, former Volkswagen chief executive
      German criminal court (not named) · Criminal · Prosecution → Martin Winterkorn

      The trial was suspended in July 2025 on health grounds; no verdict recorded. He is on trial and has not been convicted.

    5. Guilty plea$2800000bn Criminal penalty; a further US$1.5 billion is recorded as a ‘legal’ item without further description
      United States criminal plea agreement with Volkswagen AG
      United States (court not named) · Criminal · United States authorities → Volkswagen AG

      Volkswagen paid a US$2.8 billion criminal penalty under a plea agreement, according to the research record.

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What nature saw

    Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

    Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

    Real-world NOx vs Euro 6 limit
    ~7x
    15 diesel cars tested by ICCT (2014); about 560 against 80 mg/km
    Modelled premature deaths, all diesel cars and vans (2013)
    Almost 10,000
    EU28, Norway and Switzerland (Jonson et al., 2017); about half avoidable had on-road emissions met the limits
    Modelled premature deaths from Volkswagen alone (2008–2015)
    ~1,200
    Germany and neighbouring countries (Chossière et al., 2017, as cited in Jonson et al.)

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
    Court ruling existsCase pending / contestedDeaths reported

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
    • Disputed Were other manufacturers' on-road NOx emissions within the law?

    Figures

    • Insufficient Fines: United States criminal penalty as summarised in secondary sources; source not given.

    Accounts

    • Disputed How much of the 2018 German payment was a penalty rather than disgorgement, and who bears the tax cost?

    Record

    • Unclear Whether Volkswagen, Audi or Daimler actually deducted the disgorged economic benefit from taxable income: not found.
    • Disputed No study estimates excess NOx deaths across all manufacturers in a single figure; the available estimates cover different scopes and years.
    • None on record No newer cumulative cost total for Volkswagen than ‘more than €32 billion’ (June 2021) was found.
    • Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: a €870 million order against Daimler in 2019.
    • Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: that German law bars deduction of administrative fines but allows deduction of the disgorgement element if it was computed without deducting taxes.
    • Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: that Volkswagen was the sector leader in a sustainability index two weeks before the scandal became public, and that its stock was removed from the index (Bloomberg and Fortune summaries; the index relied on self-reported data).
    • None on record The outcome of the Winterkorn trial: suspended, no verdict recorded.

    Did the harm stop?

    The available material does not record whether or when the excess emissions were stopped.

    Who paid?

    Volkswagen paid more than €31 billion in fines and settlements by its own March 2020 statement. A tax lawyer estimated about €300 million of the 2018 German payment could return to the company through deduction; whether it did was not found.

    Sources

    Voices on record: ✓ Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations✓ Communities and civil society✓ Researchers

    Company or project

    Government and regulators

    1. Vehicle emissions testing programme: conclusions
      UK Department for Transport · 2016-04-21

    Press and investigations

    Communities and civil society

    Researchers

    1. Real-world exhaust emissions from modern diesel cars
      International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) · 2014-10-11

    Connected cases

    Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
    Terms used on this page

    Law and courts

    Disgorgement
    An order to give up profits gained from wrongdoing, used by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
    Negligence and gross negligence
    Negligence is a failure to take reasonable care. Gross negligence is a serious, reckless failure; under US oil-spill law a finding of gross negligence raises the maximum penalty.
    Plea
    In a criminal case, the defendant's formal answer to a charge. A plea agreement settles a case with a guilty plea on agreed terms.

    Carbon and conservation finance

    Buffer pool
    A reserve of credits held back from sale by a carbon programme to cover future losses, such as forest burned or logged after credits were issued. It works as the programme's own insurance.
    Carbon credit
    A certificate representing one tonne of carbon dioxide (or equivalent) that a project says it reduced, avoided or removed. Buyers use credits to balance their own emissions in climate claims.
    REDD+
    Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. A UN framework under which forest projects earn carbon credits for deforestation they say they prevented, measured against a projected baseline.
    Standard-setter and registry
    An organisation that writes the rules for carbon credits, approves projects, and records when credits are issued and retired. Such bodies typically charge fees per credit.
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