Petrol and diesel car ban needs to return to 2030 'as a matter of urgency' with calls for 'rapid progress'

While the UK's emissions are now less than half the levels they were in 1990, this is a result of the drop in coal use and boost to renewables.

It identified that major environmental changes could be seen by bringing back the 2030 deadline to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.

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This was pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak in a major U-turn last September, where he also removed exemptions for boiler installations and other net zero options.

Labour has pledged to reinstate the 2030 deadline to ensure manufacturers and motorists have assurances that they can switch to an electric car.

Keir Starmer's party has maintained that it is committed to delivering greener transport by supporting the transition to electric vehicles.

The Climate Change Committee also noted that the market share of new electric vehicles needs to rise from 16.5 per cent in 2023 to almost 100 per cent.

The latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that the market share of EVs in June 2024 was 19 per cent.

However, this is still more than 30 per cent less than petrol, with 91,227 new petrol vehicles being registered last month, compared to just 34,034 new EVs.

Professor Piers Forster, interim Chair of the Climate Change Committee, said: “The country’s 2030 emissions reduction target is at risk.

"The new Government has an opportunity to course-correct, but it will need to be done as a matter of urgency to make up for lost time. They are off to a good start.

"Action needs to extend beyond electricity, with rapid progress needed on electric cars, heat pumps and tree planting."

He added that robust measures will keep the UK in its place on the world stage, with people being supported by strong action from the Government.

As part of other environmental plans to achieve net zero, the CCC said all planning barriers for heat pumps, EV chargers and onshore wind projects should be removed.

This has been supported by calls to make electricity costs cheaper by removing policy costs to make household bills cheaper.

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The CCC said this would support industrial electrification and ensure that the running costs of heat pumps are lower than costs associated with fossil fuel boilers.

Matt Finch, UK Policy Manager at Transport and Environment, reacted to the paper, saying: "The Climate Change Committee’s progress report makes it very clear that the previous Government’s legacy is one of continual, damaging delay.

"Thanks to rollbacks and toxic narratives around net zero, public confidence in the transition has taken a hammering.

"But this leaves the new Government with an abundance of opportunity and that comes in the form of boosting demand for electric vehicles, properly taxing the aviation industry, and prioritising giving us details on how they intend to reduce take action on shipping which cannot afford to be ignored any longer."