California ruled on Thursday that all new cars sold in America’s most populous state must be zero-emissions by 2035, billed as the nation’s leading step in reducing pollutants that cause global warming.
The widely touted move has been applauded by environmentalists who hope it will spur other parts of the United States to accelerate EV adoption.
Rules announced by the state’s Air Resources Board will require that an ever-increasing percentage of new cars sold to California’s 40 million residents not produce any tailpipe pollutants until they are completely banned in 13 years.
“The timeline is ambitious but doable: Until a child born this year is ready to go to middle school, only zero-emission vehicles or a limited number of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) will be new for sale in California. The California Air Resources Board said in a statement.
The board, tasked with finding a way to implement Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to transform the state’s auto sector, said the environmental and health benefits would be significant.
“By 2037, the regulation will result in a 25 percent reduction in smog-causing air pollution from light commercial vehicles.
“This will benefit all Californians, but especially the most environmentally and economically impacted communities in the state along freeways and other busy thoroughfares.
“From 2026 to 2040, the regulation will result in cumulative avoided health outcomes…including 1,290 fewer cardiopulmonary deaths, 460 fewer hospitalizations for cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and 650 fewer emergency room visits for asthma.”
California is the largest auto market in the United States that manufacturers cannot ignore.
This means that the rules imposed in California affect production schedules across the country and beyond, giving the state outsized leverage in effectively setting national standards.
Thursday’s ruling follows a climate law signed into law by US President Joe Biden last week that provides hundreds of millions of dollars in stimulus for clean energy programs.
Biden and his Democratic Party are rushing to make up ground on climate policy they believe was lost under former President Donald Trump, who yanked the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement and reversed what many environmentalists considered already weak View progress in reducing fossil fuel emissions that drive global warming.
Newsom, a leader in the Democratic Party who is said to have presidential ambitions, welcomed the ruling.
– “Groundbreaking” Roadmap –
“California now has a groundbreaking, world-leading … roadmap to reducing hazardous carbon emissions and moving away from fossil fuels,” he said.
Reducing the number of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars on the road is equivalent to “emissions equivalent to 915 million barrels of oil that don’t pollute our communities.”
“With the historic $10 billion we’re investing to accelerate the transition… we’re making it easier and cheaper for all Californians to buy electric cars.”
In recent years, jurisdictions around the world, particularly in Europe, have targeted the polluting automotive sector.
Norway wants all new cars to be emission-free by 2025.
The UK, Singapore and Israel are looking to 2030, while the European Union aims to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
Man-made global warming has already increased average temperatures around the world, affecting weather patterns and worsening natural hazards like wildfires and storms.
Scientists say drastic measures are needed to limit the damage, pointing out that curbing emissions from fossil fuels is key to the fight.
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