New diesel and petrol cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2040 in a bid to tackle air pollution, the government has announced.
Currently,France’s new government is making headlines for all the right reasons at the moment, particularly when it comes to doubling-down on its climate advocacy program. Not only is it successfully stealing American climate scientists that are tired of the Trump administration’s science denialism, but it’s also announced bans on oil and gas drilling, and a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
The UK, has now followed suit, announcing that it’s banning the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles too by the same date. It now joins a growing group of nations that plan to make electric cars the vehicle of the future, including The Netherlands, Norway (2025), Germany, and India (2030).
Ministers have also unveiled a £255m fund to help councils tackle emissions, including the potential for charging zones for the dirtiest vehicles.
But the £3bn clean air strategy does not include a scrappage scheme, calling previous ones "poor value" for money.
Local government leaders welcomed the funding but called for more detail.
- Reality Check: Does pollution cut short 40,000 lives a year?
- Questions about the petrol and diesel car ban
- Special Report: So I can breathe
Local authorities will be given direct financial support from the government, with £40m of the fund being made immediately.
They can use the funds for a range of measures, such as changing road layouts, implementing new technologies or encouraging residents on to public transport.
If those measures do not cut emissions enough, charging zones could be the next step - but the government says these should only be used for "limited periods".
Read full article here
0 comments:
Post a Comment