The governments’ pledge to sell only zero-emissions cars and vans from 2035 needs to be supported by targets set down in law, green group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said.
The COP26 climate conference saw a progressive coalition committed to ending the sale of polluting cars and vans by 2035 in leading markets and by 2040 elsewhere. However, according to Transport and Energy, without China, the US, Germany and France, it needs more than a non-binding declaration to clean up the largest source of transport pollution. ‘The US and Europe need to lead the plans to electrify the car industry, but without actual targets to end car emissions by 2035, this won’t happen despite the plans placing it ahead of the climate action regulators’ commented Julia Poliscanova, Senior Director for Vehicles and e-mobility at T&E.
UK to end diesel truck sales
The UK has announced a new pledge to end the sale of all new diesel trucks between 2035 and 2040. T&E said: ‘if implemented, the UK would be leading the race to end the use of fossil fuels in vehicles by 2050.’
Greg Archer, UK Director at T&E, commented on how ‘the technology behind powering trucks without burning fuel is maturing, and costs are falling. With the UK leading the RACE, we are not only addressing the climate emergency. Still, we will also be helping to combat toxic urban air quality whilst creating new businesses and jobs. This is a win-win for the economy and the environment.’
The outcome of a proposal to end sales of polluting cars and vans by 2035 will be decided by EU governments and members of the European Parliament in the coming months. Next year, the EU lawmakers will also consider increasing the block’s truck CO2 reduction targets for 2030 and setting targets for the near future.
