Daily Times

Britain will move up a ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and is eyeing 250,000 new jobs as part of a green industrial revolution.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement to meet Britain’s net zero emissions climate target. Johnson is seeking to show his government is on track to deliver manifesto promises after a tumultuous few days in which he was forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone with COVID-19, and his most senior adviser Dominic Cummings was ousted.

Britain last year became the first G7 country to set in law a net zero emission target by 2050, which will require wholesale changes in the way Britons travel, use energy and eat.

In total the plan would mobilise 12 billion pounds ($16 billion) of government money, with as much as three times that amount coming from the private sector, and create and support 250,000 highly skilled green jobs by 2030, Johnson said.

The new date for a ban on new petrol and diesel cars is five years earlier than the 2035 pledge made by Johnson in February.

CHALLENGE

The plan offers 582 million pounds in grants for those buying zero or ultra-low emission vehicles to make them cheaper to buy, which was welcomed by auto industry group SMMT.

“Success will depend on reassuring consumers that they can afford these new technologies,” SMMT said in a statement, adding the new deadline posed an “immense challenge” to the sector.

Johnson’s plan was broadly welcomed by industry.