Brazil’s ‘terrible idea’ would lift ban on diesel

The use of diesel passenger vehicles has been restricted in Brazil since the 1970s, when authorities prohibited the sale of diesel fuel for use in vehicles with a payload capacity below 1,000kg. This was enforced in the hope of reducing the country’s dependence on imported oil.

However, a Chamber of Deputies committee has proposed a law that could see the ban lifted, despite warnings from experts and a growing consensus that diesels can emit high levels of harmful pollutants.