The COP26 President Alok Sharma has made an urgent call to leaders around the world to sign the Zero-Emission Vehicles Declaration (ZEV) in a bid to address the climate emergency and achieve the goals of the Paris agreement.
Twenty two new signatories, including Greece, Vancouver, and La Plata in Argentina, have joined the Declaration in a pledge to ensure that all new car and van sales will produce zero emissions by 2040 globally, and by 2035 in leading markets.
Six months after it was launched, the Declaration was the focus of Race Against Climate Change Live, an Envision Racing event held in partnership with the COP26 Presidency and TIME Magazine.
The ZEV Declaration was a commitment launched at COP26 by a leadership group of more than 150 countries, businesses, and organisations.
Additional signatories announced on 24 May bring the total to over 180 signatories.
UK Government Cabinet member and COP26 President, Alok Sharma, said: “The latest IPCC report was clear, the time for action is now if we’re to keep temperatures below 1.5C. The COP26 Declaration is a huge step in achieving this and I’m delighted to welcome all the new signatories.
“We want a bigger percentage of the world to sign up to the Declaration. We will continue to push on this agenda as it is vitally important. Transport accounts for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions globally and if we want to move to a greener, cleaner world and ensure that people have healthier lives with warming limited to 1.5 degrees, then it is vital that we succeed.”
Race Against Climate Change is run by the Envision Racing Formula E team, to “accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and inspire positive climate action around the world”. It says this year’s event concentrated on the Future of Clean Mobility and saw businesses and politicians convene to provide insight, provoke debate, and encourage action on one of the most pressing topics of our time.
Formula E team, Envision Racing, says that despite global passenger electric vehicle sales reaching a new record last year, road transport emissions are rising faster than any other global sector and account for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.