U.K. Prime Minister Delays Emissions-Reduction Targets, Including Gasoline and Diesel Car Ban
☀️ U.K. Prime Minister Delays Emissions-Reduction Targets, Including Gasoline and Diesel Car Ban.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a delay in several key emissions-reduction targets, including pushing back the ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. Sunak argued that households needed more time to transition away from gas boilers to heat pumps and that some households would receive exemptions from these targets. He framed these changes as being in the interests of households, suggesting that Westminster should not impose significant costs on working people, especially those already struggling financially. However, these changes have faced criticism, particularly from the automotive industry and environmental organizations. Ford UK, for example, argued that the 2030 target was crucial for accelerating the shift to electric vehicles and that a relaxation of this target could undermine their efforts.
The UK's economy experienced its strongest growth in almost three years, with a 0.6% expansion in the first quarter of 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.