Efforts towards decarbonisation in the transportation sector were the focus of the COP26 summit on Wednesday.
The transport sector is the biggest consumer of fossil fuels in terms of energy consumption, with road transport accounting for 17 percent of global emissions. Because road transport emissions are rising faster than other sectors, banning the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles and increasing the use of electric cars were high on the agenda.
Ban on sale of petrol and diesel cars
32 countries, including Ireland and the UK, agreed to commit to prohibit the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 at the latest but big car-producing countries such as the United States, Germany, France, and China failed to agree to the plan.
On the industry side, Ford, Volvo, General Motors and Daimler, did agree to the plan however, other major carmakers such as Volkswagen, Renault, Stellantis, BMW and Nissan opted out.
The declaration commits those signing to work toward all new cars and van sales "being zero emission by 2040 or earlier, or by no later than 2035 in leading markets." Carmakers have pledged that 100 percent of sales are zero emission by 2035 at the latest.
Read the declaration.
Creation of zero-emission shipping routes
Nineteen countries including the UK, Ireland, the United States and Australia have agreed to support the creation of zero-emission shipping routes.
The aim of the parties to the Clydebank Declaration is to help with the establishment of "at least six green corridors by the middle of this decade". About 80 percent of global trade by volume is carried on ships, but there is growing concern about the sector's environmental impact.
Establishing partnerships between ports, operators and others and changing the fuel supply are seen as ways to support zero-emission shipping routes.
The naming of the 'Clydebank Declaration' pays tribute to the heritage of the City of Glasgow and the River Clyde where the Declaration was signed. The Declaration sits within the Zero-Emission Shipping Mission and is designed to complement work at the International Maritime Organization to enable zero-emission shipping.
Make Zero emission vehicles accessible
30 countries have agreed to work together to make zero emission vehicles the new normal by making them accessible, affordable, and sustainable in all regions by 2030 or sooner.
Draft COP26 deal is debated
A draft deal for the COP26 climate talks was published this morning (Wednesday) calling on countries to submit new pledges to align their targets with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in 2022.
The text stresses the urgency of increased ambition and action in relation to mitigation, adaptation and finance in this critical decade to address the gaps in the implementation of the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
A three-day debate between the almost 200 countries represented in Glasgow has begun, before the conference is scheduled to end on Friday. There is no guarantee that the draft deal will pass and is likely to face stiff opposition.
The draft deal "resolves to pursue efforts" to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, the lower limit set out in the Paris Agreement and calls upon Parties to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels but provided no end-date.
Other developments today:
- Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has announced Irish Aid funding of €2.1 million which will help address the impacts of climate change on Small Island Developing States and coastal communities.
- A new World Bank trust fund was launched that will mobilise $200 million over the next 10 years to decarbonise road transport in emerging markets and developing economies.
- The UK has pledged to shift to clean trucks by committing to end the sale of most new diesel trucks between 2035 and 2040.
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