Commitments made by governments and businesses around the world will help the road transport sector around the world reach zero emissions faster than ever, according to COP26 President Alok Sharma.
Speaking at ‘Breakthroughs in the Race to Zero Emissions Vehicles’ – a Petersberg Climate Dialogue satellite event, hosted by High Action Climate Champion Nigel Topping, Mr Sharma said: “The future of the road transport sector is clear. And that future is zero emissions. The transition is happening faster than ever before. The pace of zero emissions vehicle sales has been quickening. In the EU, 10 percent of the cars sold in 2020 were hybrid or electric, that is expected to rise to 15% this year. In Norway electric car sales have overtaken petrol and diesel. Six months ago, the UK was planning to phase out new polluting vehicles by 2040. Today, we will do so by 2030.”
He said the UK would match the ambition shown by the likes of Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Mr Sharma went on to say that action from both governments and businesses with reinforce one another. “So, as we look to speed-up the transition to green transport, we need action from both groups. And we must speed it up, because, today, road transport is responsible for 10% of global emissions. To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need all new car sales to ]be zero emission by 2040. Earlier in the most advanced markets. And a faster transition can benefit us all. Thanks to economies of scale reducing costs,” he said at the event.
To help get the transition moving faster, the UK COP26 Presidency established the Zero Emission Vehicle Transition Council. Bringing together ministers and governments representing some of the world’s biggest car markets, to look at how they can work better together.
