Deadline moves from 2030 to 2035; The Prime Minister cites the cost to consumers and the need to give the population time to adapt
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, announced the postponement of measures to curb climate change on Wednesday (September 20, 2023). These include the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, which was extended from 2030 to 2035.
Sunak said the shift was aimed at giving the population more time to adapt to the changes. In his speech, he referred to the increase in the cost of living for the British, which is caused, among other things, by inflation.
The Prime Minister defended a “more pragmatic and realistic approach” to zero carbon emissions. According to him, many Brits cannot afford the energy transition. “We appear to have chosen an approach that would impose unacceptable costs on struggling British families,” he said.
Sunak said it will be possible to sell and buy cars that run on petrol and diesel even after 2035, provided they are used. “We need to strengthen our own automotive industry so we don’t have to rely on heavily subsidized, carbon-intensive imports from countries like China,” he said, adding that the UK will “facilitate the transition to electric vehicles”.
According to the Prime Minister, the government is aligning its approach “to countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Sweden and US states such as California, New York and Massachusetts”.
The UK also relaxed the deadline for people to switch their heating appliances to more sustainable options. “We will give people much more time to make the necessary transition,” Sunak said. The final date for replacing the devices will not be “before 2035,” said the Prime Minister.
