WorldEurope

Actions

France Has Set A Date To Ban Gas And Diesel Vehicle Sales

On Thursday, the country's new ecology minister announced a ban on gas- and diesel-powered vehicle sales by 2040.
Posted at 2:07 PM, Jul 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-06 14:07:21-04

France is bidding gas and diesel fuel vehicles adieu.

On Thursday, the country's new ecology minister announced a ban on gas- and diesel-powered vehicle sales by 2040.

The move is part of France's plan to meet its commitments under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

But it's also a response to the heavy air pollution that has plagued France and other European countries in recent years.

Four major cities, including Paris, previously announced plans to ban diesel cars by 2025. But France is the first major country to set a date to completely phase out gas and diesel.

However, other nations have taken big steps in that direction.

Germany's government wants to put 1 million electric cars on the roads by 2020.

Norway wants all of its all of its new car sales to be zero- or low-emission vehicles by 2025.

And India set a lofty goal of having nothing but all-electric vehicles by 2030.