The UK government will bring its ban on petrol and diesel cars forward to 2035 from 2040 following advice from climate change experts, prime minister Boris Johnson will announce.
The change was made amid concerns that the mandatory transition to electric cars would come too late to keep the UK on track for its net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.
Prime minister Boris Johnson will discuss the new policy at an event in London which preludes the UN COP26 climate summit which will be hosted in Glasgow in November.
The policy change will go to consultation, but it is also set to ban hybrid cars, making only electric or hydrogen vehicles available for purchase from the date of implementation.
In the background, the COP26 summit’s former president, Claire O’Neill, who was sacked last week, had written to the prime minister accusing him of not supporting her work and suggested that she may sue the government.
The London launch event for the Glasgow summit will be attended by prominent naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
Johnson is expected to say at the event: “Hosting COP26 is an important opportunity for the UK and nations across the globe to step up in the fight against climate change.
“As we set out our plans to hit our ambitious 2050 net zero target across this year, so we shall urge others to join us in pledging net zero emissions.
“There can be no greater responsibility than protecting our planet, and no mission that a global Britain is prouder to serve.”
