Speaking on RTL television at a pre-election town hall event, Merkel urged German carmakers who have been caught cheating nitrogen emissions tests to rebuild public trust in diesel. She emphasized the importance of diesel in achieving climate protection goals, noting that while diesel cars emit less carbon dioxide, they emit more nitrogen dioxide which can be harmful in high concentrations. Merkel acknowledged the differences in legal systems between Germany and the US regarding compensation for affected car owners but stressed the need for German carmakers to compensate owners as best as possible to protect the reputation of the industry. The auto industry's future, which is Germany's largest exporter and employs 800,000 people, has become a prominent topic in the upcoming elections. Politicians are pointing fingers at executives and each other for the industry's tarnished reputation following Volkswagen's admission of cheating on US emissions tests nearly two years ago.