OSLO – Petro Plaza reports that the city of Oslo in Norway has implemented a two-day ban on diesel cars to counter the dangerous levels of air pollution.

“Acutely high air pollution can make it hazardous for children, the elderly and asthmatics to be outdoors. The diesel ban is a radical measure, but it is necessary to preserve the health of city residents,” said Gerd Robsahm Kjørven, the acting director of the Environment Department in Oslo.

After several local, regional and national governments convinced consumers to switch over to diesel, Petro Plaza reports that many have reversed in their approach, noting that diesel cars emit less CO2 but emit more nitrogen dioxide.

“In Oslo, we can’t ask children, the elderly, and those suffering from respiratory problems to remain holed up at home because the air is too dangerous to breathe,” a Greens city councilor, Lan Marie Nguyen Berg, told The Guardian.