The European Union has officially established a goal of banning the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The European Parliament recently approved the proposal with a high vote on the 8th. Amidst a flurry of Green Policy-related bills, the passage of this proposal is a crucial victory for climate initiatives.
In fact, MPs from different camps have all put forward their own versions. For example, the center-right camp proposed to relax the target to reduce automobile carbon dioxide emissions by 90% by 2035; the European People’s Party (EPP), the conservative party with the largest number of seats, fought for the exemption of hybrid vehicles from the ban; and the Green Party hoped to bring the ban period forward to 2030. However, these conservative or more aggressive versions were all rejected.
Pascal Canfin, chair of the European Parliament's environment committee, tweeted: "100% zero-emission cars by 2035! I very much welcome the vote on CO2 (emissions) standards. This position expressed by the European Parliament is in line with our goal of climate neutrality. It's an important victory."
European Parliament votes to ban sales of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035
Currently, about 12% of greenhouse gases emitted by European countries come from cars. These emissions will exacerbate climate change and lead to more frequent and intense climate disasters such as heat waves, storms and floods.
The ban on gasoline-powered vehicles, along with another bill requiring countries to install millions of charging stations, are both intended to accelerate Europe's shift to electric vehicles and encourage automakers to significantly increase their investment in electrification. "For consumers, buying and driving zero-emission cars will become increasingly cheaper," said Jan Huitema, the European Parliament's chief policy negotiator.
Although the proposal to ban the sale of fuel vehicles in 2035 has been supported by the European Parliament, subsequent negotiations still need to be held with representatives of 27 European governments.
But the European Parliament's vote will undoubtedly put pressure on governments to clarify relevant policies and end the sale of fuel engines in the European internal market with a population of 447 million. Auto brands including Ford and Volvo have publicly supported the European Parliament's resolution.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/234428)
