Britain plans to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. The move is a part of the government’s “Clean Air” plan.
The government said the move was needed to tackle the rising levels of nitrogen oxide which pose a major risk to public health. “Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible,” a government spokesman said. “That is why we are providing councils with new funding to accelerate development of local plans, as part of an ambitious £3-billion programme to clean up dirty air around our roads.”
The British government’s clean air plan will also see the introduction of hybrid cars. The move comes after a draft report by environmental lawyers described the situation as “much weaker than hoped for”. The final plan is due by the end of July.
On July 7, France had said it plans to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. The country’s Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot had said the government wants to make France carbon neutral by 2050.
France is not the only country that aims to ban combustion-powered cars. The Netherlands and Norway had earlier said that they wanted to get rid of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2025, and Germany and India had announced similar plans ahead of 2030.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!