UK to ban sale of petrol, diesel cars from 2030
The sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the United Kingdom will be banned within a decade as part of a 10-point plan for a "green industrial revolution" in the country. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the sale of such vehicles would be phased out by 2030. However, hybrid vehicles can be sold until 2035. Here's more.
Ban originally set for 2040, now expedited to 2030
In February, PM Johnson said the ban would come into effect in 2035. At the time, he had brought forward the ban - originally set for 2040 - by five years. It has now been expedited to 2030. According to Johnson, the green industrial revolution in the UK could help generate as many as 250,000 new jobs in sectors like transport, energy, and technology.
UK aims to reach goal of net-zero emissions by 2050
Johnson moved the ban forward to 2030 to give the UK's electric car industry a jump-start to help move the country toward its net-zero emissions goal by 2050, say government and industry insiders. While cars/vans wholly powered by petrol and diesel won't be sold from 2030, a less stringent deadline of 2035 has been set for ending the sale of hybrid cars, Johnson confirmed.
I haven't lost sight of our ambitious plans: Johnson
"Although this year has taken a very different path to the one we expected, I haven't lost sight of our ambitious plans to level up across the country," said Johnson, in a statement, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. "My Ten Point Plan will create, support, and protect hundreds of thousands of green jobs, whilst making strides towards net-zero [emissions] by 2050," he added.
About the UK government's 10-point green plan
The government's 10-point green plan includes the production of offshore wind energy enough to power every house in the UK and having 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. The plan also includes advancing nuclear power as a clean energy source, transition to electric vehicles, transforming cycling and walking into attractive ways to travel, and investing in zero-emission public transport as well.
Includes support to research projects for zero-emission planes, ships
Johnson's plan also includes supporting research projects for zero-emission planes and ships and making homes, hospitals, and schools warmer and more energy-efficient. Developing world-leading technology for capturing/storing harmful emissions away from the atmosphere, protecting and restoring the natural environment, including planting trees every year, developing cutting-edge technologies to achieve these ambitions, and making London the global green finance center are also part of it.
Here's what the UK Prime Minister stated
"Our green industrial revolution will be powered by...wind turbines of Scotland and the North East, propelled by...electric vehicles made in the Midlands and advanced by the latest technologies developed in Wales, so we can look ahead to a more prosperous, greener future," stated Johnson.
