France to Ban Fossil Fuel Vehicles by 2040
Hammering another nail into the combustion engine’s coffin, France’s new environment minister this week announced plans to ban all gasoline and diesel vehicles by the year 2040.
Nicolas Hulot’s ambitious goal comes as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to make France carbon-neutral by 2040.
The announcement came shortly after Volvo unveiled plans to stop making combustion-only motor vehicles.
The Netherlands and Norway have also expressed interest in banning combustion-powered cars, as have India and Germany, though France arguably feels the most pressure due to the Paris climate accord, which aims to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in order to mitigate global warming.
Hulot also highlighted plans to halt the importation of products that contribute to deforestation, such as palm oil, while France has pledged to susbtantially reduce its reliance on nuclear energy by 2025.
