Ulster Unionist Climate spokesperson, John Stewart MLA, has welcomed an announcement by the Prime Minister that he will bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2035.
John Stewart MLA said:
“The greatest issue we face is that of climate change. There is a growing duty on lawmakers to urgently step up and be aspirational in policy-making. We must treat this issue with the seriousness it requires as every day we are already seeing the devastating effects climate change is having on societies around the world.
“Our party made a commitment to see a zero net carbon future by 2035 and I am delighted the Prime Minister will bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to 2035. This acknowledges that we must act sooner rather than later in moving to zero net carbon emissions.
“We cannot afford to be complacent if we want to preserve our planet for future generations. It will not be easy and will require a radical rethink of how we approach this issue as an Executive. The only way to effectively tackle the challenges we face from climate change is through a cross-departmental approach - we must step out of the silos.”