Countries intending to phase out combustion-engine vehicles – Editor
Articles by Hashem Al-Ghaili [1] and Dom Galeon [2] discuss an option for combining overall reduction in green- house gas emissions with improvement of pollution levels in streets and roads (thereby improving the health of the population). This option is a promotion of the sale of all-electric motor vehicles and/or a compulsory phasing out of the sale of motor vehicles that use carbon- based-fuel combustion engines.
In the past couple of years, the clean energy revolution has steadily been gaining ground. Aside from transitioning to cleaner, renewable energy sources, a number of countries also intend to keep their roads free from pollution by removing combustion engine vehicles. With the transportation sector contribut- ing around 15% of man-made green- house gas emissions worldwide (27% for the U.S.), this is a noteworthy step.
The following list of seven nations have been listed in these articles according to the time they made their decision to remove combustion-engine vehicles:
- Germany was the first country to implement a ban on petrol and diesel cars. In Oct 2016 the federal council (the Bundesrat) proposed and passed a resolution that calls for a total ban on internal combustion engines by 2030. The decision is significant because Germany has the fourth largest car manufacturing industry in the world.
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Norway in February 2017 decided to follow and outdo the German example. It set a target that is five years earlier than Germany’s. By 2025, Norway will only sell cars that are 100% electric. “By 2030, heavy-duty vans, 75% of new long-distance buses, and 50% of new trucks must be zero emission vehicles” according to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
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India has instituted a policy similar to Norway’s, to allow only the sale of all- electric cars by 2030. The effort is to be financed by the government.
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France will implement a ban on all petrol and diesel vehicles effective by 2040. The process will take place step- wise, to include having “a fleet of 2.4 million rechargeable electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as a 3% of NGV heavy duty vehicles” by 2023, according to France’s Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy.
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United Kingdom will introduce a ban on new diesel and petrol fuel cars by 2040, as part of a 3 billion initiative that trickles down to local councils to improve the nation’s air quality.
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Netherlands has been considering the removal from roads and streets of petrol and diesel engines since April 2016, but have yet to formalise these plans.
- China – the most heavily-polluted country, has revealed similar plans.
Sources
