Britain’s ban on new petrol and diesel cars will still take effect from 2030 as part of its net zero push, the Energy Secretary confirmed.
On Thursday, Grant Shapps published his “Powering Up Britain” energy security plan, on what is being called “Green Day,” with a range of measures to “deliver cleaner, more affordable” energy sources to power the UK.
A Department of Transport spokesman confirmed to The Epoch Times that the government “is committed to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and from 2035 all new cars and vans must be fully zero emission at the exhaust.”
‘Powering Up Britain’
Commenting on the “Powering Up Britain” plan, Shapps said: “Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated to the world the vital importance of increasing our energy security and independence—powering more of Britain from Britain and shielding ourselves from the volatile fossil fuels market.“Already a global leader in offshore wind power, we now want to do the same for the UK’s nuclear and carbon capture industries, which in turn will help cut the wholesale electricity prices to amongst the lowest in Europe.
Also among the government’s list of announcements were billions in funding for carbon capture, as well as millions into the UK’s emerging floating offshore wind industry.
Shapps also set out plans during 2023–24 to “rebalance gas and electricity costs,” which he claimed would cut the cost of electricity at the expense of gas.
The mandate will set out strict requirements for car makers to sell an increasing share of electric vehicles annually from next year, so it can release an approach in mid-2023 and implement it in future legislation.
‘Adherence to Green Ideology’
Environmentalist critic Ben Pile who runs the campaign group Climate Debate UK told The Epoch Times by email that few people are “willing to stand up to the green blob.”“Shapps’ restatement of the government’s commitment to banning new ICE [internal combustion engine] cars from 2030 is a reminder of the political establishment’s craven adherence to green ideology, which it has put before the interests of British people, businesses, and industries,” he said.
“All MPs have put climate targets before any understanding of how the things that they are banning, taxing, or restricting can be replaced,” he added.
“And few politicians seem able or willing to stand up to the green blob, to represent the ordinary people’s interests. But EVs are not suitable replacements for petrol or diesel cars for most people. They are expensive, have limited range, and few people have access to charging points. The voter has been denied a choice on this agenda,” he added.
“We need to now slay this myth that somehow net zero is going to make us colder and poorer and net zero will make us warmer and richer," he said.
Colder and Poorer
Pile challenged Skidmore’s remarks saying that they “epitomise Westminster’s total intransigence on climate policy.”“The Climate Change Act is now 15 years old, and there are no signs of the cheaper or more abundant energy, nor the green jobs or green growth that its advocates promised it would deliver,” he said.
He said that the price of energy has “increased because of climate policies, and this is now seriously impacting household incomes as well as businesses and industries.”
“Energy market data shows extremely clearly that renewable energy generators have not produced electricity at the prices they have promised, and are significantly more expensive than even the current price of gas. Therefore people are going to be colder and poorer,” he said.
He added that he believed that Skidmore was “lucky enough to be immune to increases in the cost of living that most families have had to endure.”
The Epoch Times contacted Chris Skidmore for comment.
