European NGOs (Avere, Beuc, T&E, Climate Group EV 100) call on the EU to set a date of 2035 for the end of sales of cars and vans with internal combustion engines. This is, in their view, the only way to enable the EU to comply with the Paris Agreement and achieve the objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
Their joint letter of 11 September addressed primarily to Ursula von der Leyen, with a copy to the European Parliament and the German Presidency of the ‘Environment’ Council of the EU, was made public on 14 September, 2 days before the State of the Union address.
“There is no time to waste and the time to set an ambitious direction towards zero emissions mobility in line with the European Green Deal ambition is now. If the current CO2 targets for cars and vans in 2025 and 2030 are not increased, there will be no significant investment into electric cars or vans from 2022 until 2029 (see EUROPE 12236/23). This is in spite of the fact that the technology is there, investments are flowing into electrification in Europe and the electric vehicle market is soaring despite the pandemic”, write the signatories.
In particular, they point out that by the end of 2019, CO2 emissions from new cars had risen for three consecutive years. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)