Britain to Pump the Brakes on Gas & Diesel Vehicle Sales by 2040

As the subject of global warming continues to be a polarizing, yet important issue to tackle, Britain has announced plans to stop the sale of all petrol and diesel vehicles in the region by 2040.

“Clean air is one of the most basic requirements of a healthy environment for us all to live, work, and bring up families,” reads a report issued by the British Government. “Whilst air quality has improved significantly in recent decades, and will continue to improve thanks to the action we have already taken, there are some parts of our country where there are unacceptable levels of air pollution. This can come from a range of different sources and activities. Many everyday activities such as industrial processes, farming, transport, generating energy and heating homes can have a detrimental effect on air quality. This is a problem we need to tackle.”

In addition to ending the sale of “conventional” cars and vans in the country by 2040, Britain is also aiming to have every vehicle on its roads be “a zero emission vehicle” by 2050. According to the Government, the U.K. “had the highest sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the EU,” in 2016.

To help Britain reach its goal of getting away from petrol and diesel fuelled vehicles, the Government has pledged “£2.7 billion overall in air quality and cleaner transport” initiatives.

That money will be put toward ultra low emission vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure costs, new public transit vehicles and retrofits, cycling and walking, the Air Quality Fund and much more.

Click here for a complete look at Britain’s plans for cleaner air.

-Adam Grant

Is obsessive environmentalism a new religion? Which side of the crusade are you on? And what will become of the Earth we call home? For answers, please have a look at this 2014 environmental episode of “theZoomer.”