Australia is being left behind as the world moves to cleaner transport.
The Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy released today by the Morrison Government misses the bus, the Australian Conservation Foundation said.
The strategy’s lack of ambition or targets to drive the uptake of clean transport like cheaper electric vehicles and more affordable, reliable and electric public transport means Australians and their communities will continue to miss out.
“Australian communities are missing out on the cleaner air and quieter streets that come from taking polluting cars off the road and replacing them with electric vehicles and public transport,” ACF’s climate campaigner Petra Stock said.
“Australia is already well behind in the race to zero emission transport.
“Governments elsewhere are setting strong electric vehicle targets and dates for phasing out of petrol and diesel car sales.”
Australia and Russia are now the last remaining countries in the OECD that don’t have vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards.
Thirty-five major global cities have pledged to only buy zero emissions buses from 2025, including London, Los Angeles, Austin, Auckland and Moscow.
ACF has called for the federal government to make a strong commitment to zero emissions transport, including setting targets for renewable powered electric vehicles and shifting travel to more efficient modes like public transport, cycling, walking and rail freight.
ACF has also called for the government to fast-track investment in public and active transport to improve consumer choice and create jobs in manufacturing, infrastructure and services.
A report by Deloitte, released last month by ACF, revealed the potential for huge savings and community benefits by replacing polluting cars with electric vehicles.
