The UK government has announced that six major automakers such as Volvo, Ford and GM have taken an important step in tackling climate change. These companies want to contribute to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. In line with this goal, they have pledged to phase out production of fossil fuel vehicles worldwide by 2040. But some companies did not come close to this decision. Here are the details…
Volvo, Ford and GM are included in the contract
Cars, trucks, ships, buses and airplanes account for about a quarter of global carbon emissions, according to data from the International Energy Agency. Moreover, road vehicles are responsible for a large part of this. Now some car manufacturers want to change this order.
Reuters reported a remarkable development about Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of Volvo, Ford Motor and General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, BYD and Tata Motors. At the climate talks in Glasgow, these six automakers are preparing to sign the climate convention. The companies have agreed to produce 100 percent zero-emission (fossil fuel-free) vehicles by 2040.
However, sources knowledgeable about the contract announced a contrary development. Some major automakers, including Toyota Motor and Volkswagen, were not included in the contract. Also, some key automobile markets (China, the United States and Germany) are not yet convinced of the production of fossil fuel-free cars.
This step, which some big companies as well as automobile markets such as the USA, Germany and China have avoided to take, actually contains a message. Because it is a clear indication that difficulties will continue in the transition to a zero-emission future.
Meanwhile, Volvo has already pledged to switch to fully electric vehicles by 2030. Four more countries, including the UK, New Zealand and Poland, which hosted the COP26 (UN Climate Change Conference) summit, have pledged that all new cars and vans will be zero-emissions by 2040 or before.