The UK had a ban in place that would make it illegal to sell new petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars in the country from 2040 onward, but now that plan being amended…for the better. Under new government plans, the UK will bring the ban forward from 2040 to 2035 at the latest.
The change comes after experts said 2040 would be too late if the UK wants to achieve its target of emitting virtually zero carbon by 2050. Although the move to bring forward the date of the ban is welcomed, many activists believe it’s not early enough.
Friends of the Earth’s Mike Childs said the government was “right” to bring forward the ban, but that 2030 would be better than 2035. We need urgent action to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, and a “new 2035 will still leave the UK in the slow-lane of the electric car revolution.” In any case, it is still pleasing to see that governments are willing to make their initial environmental targets more ambitious.
