Push to ban EVERY Australian from buying petrol-powered cars in just 12 years trends now
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Petrol and diesel vehicles should be banned from sale by 2035 and households encouraged to get rid of one of their family cars, according to a new report which found Australia had the potential to halve its transport emissions by 2030.
The Climate Council findings, released on Tuesday, also recommended the government make greater efforts to electrify taxi, ride-share and government fleet vehicles, to move more freight by rail, and to improve public transport, pedestrian and cycling facilities.
The study found the actions, if taken, could cut pollution and deliver significant health benefits sooner than expected.
The recommendations come two weeks after the federal government revealed its design for a fuel-efficiency standard that would limit emissions for new vehicle fleets for the first time.
The Climate Council partnered with the University of Technology Sydney to produce its Seize the Decade report, which investigated opportunities to cut emissions in areas including the electricity grid, construction, mining and transport.
Its modelling showed changes to the way Australians travelled could slash emissions from the 94.6 megatonnes expected under current policies to 45.3 megatonnes in 2030.
Recommended changes included boosting rates of walking, cycling and public transport by five per cent each year until the end of the decade, as well as making sure at least one in three cars used by government agencies, taxi and ride-share companies were electric vehicles.
The Climate Council study also found electric heavy trucks should make up 17 per cent of those on Australian roads and one third of
