Will UK ban petrol-powered cars? PM Rishi Sunak wants Britons to have a say
- UK has delayed a ban on sale of petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2030 to 2035.
Britain has some very ambitious plans of tackling climate change and one of the key potential moves could be a complete ban on sale of new petrol-engine-powered cars in the country. But while the move has been deliberated upon in recent times, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently delayed such a decision in favour of getting citizens to voice their opinion on the matter.
Britain has a stated objective of attaining a legally-binding target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and a firm grip on vehicular emissions in the country will go a long way towards this. But many argue that a ban on petrol-powered vehicles - or cars in particular, could be way too radical a decision for the public at large. Sunak, therefore, wants to hear from the public at large.
Sunak has now moved to delay ban on petrol as well as diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. He has reasoned that while previous British governments were hasty in establishing net zero targets, he would want to get the wider support of the public. "If we continue down this path, we risk losing the British people and the resulting backlash would not just be against specific policies, but against the wider mission itself," he reportedly said at a press conference.
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It is not just about banning sales of cars powered by fossil fuels but even moves like getting Britons to ensure better insulation at their homes and transition from gas boilers to heat pumps that are being explored.
Political compulsions for Rishi Sunak?
Experts within the UK believe that Sunak is unwilling to impose any radical changes because of the national election scheduled in the country next year. Green policies may be great in principle but the fear of a backlash from people if imposed rigorously could be a big challenge.
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In the past, there was a lot of criticism over the potential move to ban sales of petrol cars in the country from 2030 onwards. Ford UK, in particular, had demanded more time to transition towards electric vehicles. It is a double-edged sword for Sunak government because on the one hand, climate activists argue that UK is not doing enough to reach its stated goals towards net zero emissions and on the other, companies are demanding a more gradual move.