Paris conference: all new UK cars to be zero-emissions by 2050
UK is one of 13 states to sign up to the Zero Emissions Vehicle Alliance
By 2050, all new cars sold in the UK must be emissions-free, under an ambitious accord signed by a combination of 13 countries and US states at the United Nations climate change conference in Paris this month.
With Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and others, the UK has agreed to promote greener motoring and transport and increase the sales of zero emissions vehicles as fast as possible; to the point where every vehicle sold has zero emissions by 2050.
There will be continued incentives and subsidies for motorists buying greener and zero-emissions cars, such as electric vehicles, and more tax breaks and grants for companies and manufacturers investing in and developing zero-emissions technology.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
There will also be continued investment in the UK's zero-emissions car infrastructure, in order to cope with increasing numbers of electric and hydrogen cars.
Fleetworld reports that the Zero Emissions Vehicle Alliance was formed in September this year, with "the ambition to increase the global uptake of green vehicles through international co-operation".
According to Auto Express, experts believe the plan could decrease greenhouse gas emissions by over one billion tonnes per year by 2050, lowering global vehicle emissions by roughly 40 per cent.
After the agreement was struck, transport minister Andrew Jones said: "The UK already has the largest market for ultra-low emission vehicles in the EU, and the fourth largest in the world."
But BT reports that Edmund King, president of the AA, warned: "Our current car buying intentions show that we still have a long way to go."
King called the plan "ambitious and laudable" but cited motorists' anxieties regarding the range of electric cars and said the onus must be placed on manufacturers to provide plausible alternative vehicles, mated to a much-improved infrastructure to support zero-emissions motorists.
The announcement comes as data suggests global emissions of carbon dioxide could stall or even recede slightly this year, according to the BBC. This is the first time this has happened when the global economy is growing.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Sudan's forgotten pyramids
Under the Radar Brutal civil war and widespread looting threatens African nation's ancient heritage
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Being more nuanced will not be easy for public health agencies'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Where did Democratic voters go?
Voter turnout dropped sharply for Democrats in 2024
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
In 'Twisters,' there are no winds of (climate) change
Talking Points The weather-focused blockbuster kicks up a swirl of controversy over a conspicuous and deliberate omission
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Jurassic Park: how dinosaurs put wine on your table
Under The Radar The disappearance of the 'lumbering beasts' allowed the grape to 'take over the world'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The push for more climate change stories in Hollywood
The Explainer America's entertainment industry has often been accused of marginalizing stories about the planet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Are plug-in hybrids better for America's climate goals?
Talking Points The car industry considers a 'slower, but more plausible path' to reducing emissions
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
EV market slowdown: a bump in the road for Tesla?
Talking Points The electric vehicle market has stalled – with worrying consequences for carmakers
By The Week UK Published
-
The End We Start From review: post-apocalyptic Jodie Comer thriller
Climate change survival thriller starring Jodie Comer as a new mother
By The Week Staff Published
-
The week's good news: Dec. 14, 2023
Feature It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
2023: the year of overtourism backlash
The Explainer People are traveling again … maybe too much
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published