California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday to ban thesale of new gasoline-fueled cars and passenger trucks in the most populousstate in the United States by 2035, aggressively moving the Golden Statefurther away from its reliance on climate change-causing fossil fuels.
According to an executive order issued by Newsom, all newpassenger vehicles sold in California are required to be zero-emission by the2035 deadline, a target which would achieve more than a 35 percent reduction ingreenhouse gas emissions.
"This is the most impactful step our state can take to fightclimate change," said Newsom.
"For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute theair that our children and families breathe. Californians shouldn't have toworry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn't make wildfiresworse - and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn't meltglaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches andcoastlines," the governor added.
California officials noted that the transportation sector isresponsible for more than half of all of California's carbon pollution, 80percent of smog-forming pollution and 95 percent of toxic diesel emissions.
In addition, California will develop regulations to mandate thatall operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles shall be 100 percent zeroemission by 2045 where feasible, with the mandate going into effect by 2035 fordrayage trucks.
The executive order will not prevent Californians from owning gas-poweredcars or selling them on the used car market.
Newsom said the move is essential to meeting California's airquality and climate goals.
"The climate change crisis is happening now, impactingCalifornia in unprecedented ways, and affecting the health and safety of toomany Californians," he noted in the executive order, adding that "Wemust accelerate our actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and morequickly move toward our low-carbon, sustainable and resilient future."
California officials insisted that climate change has played a keyrole in worsening wildfires in the state. Massive wildfires scorched over 3.6million acres as of Wednesday in the state in a record-setting year.
Editor: Galia
