The European Union Parliament has voted to approve a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035. This approval is the last of the legislative hurdles that needed to be cleared in order for the policy to progress. The law will also set a 55% cut in CO2 emissions for new cars sold from 2030 versus 2021 levels, much higher than the existing target of a 37.5%. Those who support the law argue it will give EU car manufacturers a timeframe to switch production to zero-emission electric vehicles, in support of the EU plan to be climate neutral by 2050. Opponents have argued that the industry is not ready and hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk. The restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel cars will also affect African export markets, particularly in South Africa and Morocco, and to a lesser degree Algeria which all have full vehicle manufacturing sectors.
