Steps Toward Carbon Neutrality

Countries and Cities Advancing Toward Ban of Fossil Fuel Cars...Steps Toward Carbon Neutrality

Over the past couple of decades, we have seen the development of hybrid and electric cars, and the ability of the automotive industry to start working toward the minimization of fossil-fuel burning. While there are many technological developments worldwide in hybrid and electric cars, many countries and cities are planning their future goals for a complete ban of fossil fuel cars in new car sales, and eventually perhaps, on their streets entirely.

Currently, most electric cars sold globally are sold in: China, the U.S., Japan, Canada, Norway, UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. While there are not currently any requirements as to the purchase of hybrid or electric cars in these countries, there are many cities that have created goals for the requirement of zero emissions autos throughout their streets in the future...

Countries that have already stated ambitions of future bans of fossil fuel cars include China, India, France, Britain, Norway and Germany. Initially, most of these ambitious countries have determined goals by which all auto sales in these countries will be required to be electric vehicles or hybrids,the earliest of which is Norway requiring all autos sold by 2025 to be zero emission vehicles. 

Other countries also share the goal of dramatically increasing electric vehicles on their city streets. In that light, two other countries with a goal of mandating electric auto sales, in this case required by 2040, include France and Britain, with the additional British goal that by 2050 all cars on the national streets will be required to have zero emissions. There are at least eight other countries that have stated potential targets of gaining electric cars and zero emissions, while the goal is not yet solid; Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea and Spain. 

Additionally, a global  movement is gaining momentum toward required zero emissions and carbon neutrality in the generation of electricity in certain countries. Over the past decade, there have been four nations openly in the race for carbon neutrality, a net zero carbon footprint or zero carbon emissions: Iceland, New Zealand, Norway and Costa Rica. With electric cars to help with those steps, the additional nations that will be requiring zero emissions nationwide will add to the worldwide growth of carbon neutrality. In addition to the changes in transportation, there will be updates to energy production and industrial processes to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions for improvement of the national and global environment. 

Cities with the ambition of moving toward zero emissions, have set goals to go completely fossil fuel free in their vehicles. Oslo, Norway and Madrid, Spain have stated an initial goal of fossil fuel free vehicles for new cars by 2019, with Paris and London stating a goal of 2020. Copenhagen and Athens have presented a goal of 2025, then Hamburg with a goal of 2035.

Additional cities that have presented similar goals include: Chengdu City, Brussels, Mexico City, Vancouver and New York City. While the specific dates may not have been set as of yet, urban planners have worked inside these cities to help work toward construction and planning of bike paths and pedestrian traffic that will limit the large amount of car roads previously there. 

We’ll see what all these cities may have to present for their growth in the step toward carbon neutrality in the coming years. It's great to know that so many global cities are planning for renewable energy as the main source for municipalities and vehicles. The ability to keep the world running in a more carbon neutral manner will add to the need for improvements in sustainable technologies.

For further information, please see: cities-going-car-free-2017-2#oslo-will-implement-its-car-ban-by-2019

 Written by Sara McIntosh Sara McIntosh is a freelance writer and editor who has been working in the web field for approximately 11 years now. With a degree in English, Sara has been writing about many different industries and topics, including sustainability for Greenergy Eco Villages in 2017.  Sara has done work in blogs, articles, and copywriting.