Am I the only one who is sick and tired of diesels being referred to as "oil burners"? This isn't the early 90s' anymore folks!
It's high time to ditch the inaccurate stigma associated diesels, first and foremost by journalists. The current crop is, due to a number of factors, as clean or cleaner than many comparable gasoline-based power plants. Then we can finally drop the "clean diesel" marketing BS that's started lately.
/end rant
I would like to see the back up for that 
It's true. Significantly lower nitrous oxides and carbon dioxide emissions.
Are you an industry expert?
http://www.transportenvironment.org/press/new-petrol-engines-cause-more-air-pollution-dirty-diesels
They have links to TÜV's report as well.
You can also go on fueleconomy.gov as well as NRCs website where the publish CO2 tailpipe emissions and the diesel engines numbers are lower than equivalent gas engines.
Here's another article with links to the source research. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120302193928.htm
Without looking at the links (so excuse my ignorance before hand), I think I read direct injection engines, while good for CO2, weren't the best when it came to particulates. And diesels, no matter how clean, still have issues with certain gases that have negative impacts on health.
Until we find truly clean, portable sources of energy, this is going to be a never ending debate.
Also, with regard to the 'oil burners' usage in the article, I will stand by it. I like putting a little bit of colour in the news. If you want bland, politically correct, and marketing department spun articles, I have some press releases you might be interested in.
