France Plans to Ban Sale of Fossil Fuel Vehicles by 2040
France has made a bold statement this week as the country's ecology minister announced a plan to ban the sale of vehicles powered by fossil fuel by 2040, about 23 years from now.
Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot revealed new measures to fight climate change at a presentation on Thursday, July 6. Among these new initiatives are plans to end the sale of gas and diesel vehicles by 2040, according to Reuters.
This drastic measure is just one among 23 policy proposals put forth by the Ecology Ministry of France, as part of their six themes under French President Emmanuel Macron's directive to implement the Paris climate change agreement. These policies aim at putting the country at a carbon neutral standing by 2050.
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"One of the symbolic acts of the plan is that France, which previously had made the promise to divide its greenhouse gas emissions by four by 2050, has decided to become carbon neutral by 2050 following the U.S. decision," Hulot said, referring to United States President Donald Trump's controversial pull out from the Paris climate change accords.
Hulot adds that their 2050 target will spur the government to make the needed investments to meet the deadline.
What France lacks in government funding, compared to countries like Norway, for example, it makes up with their equity in the car makers in the country, according to Engadget. France has a stake in Renault, as well as PSA, the parent company of Peugeot and Citroen.
With these ownership stakes, the country could exert some control on these and other car makers to shift away from gasoline and diesel powered cars. Hulot also mentions financial incentives for makers and owners of hybrid and electric vehicles.
Incentives could include tax breaks and subsidies for the sale of new electric vehicles, while disincentives could take the form of carbon tax and pollution tax on gas and diesel cars. New details on the proposals by the Ecology Ministry are expected to come up in the coming months.
