California Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The state of California continues to lead the way nationwide when it comes to being environmentally friendly by making decisions to benefit the state and its residents. Via a recent announcement, California has formally decided to ban the sale of all new gasoline cars by the year 2035—something that has been in the works for quite a while.
@NYTimes reports, on August 25th, California will officially enact its plan to prohibit the future sale of all new gasoline vehicles by 2035, which is the state’s latest move against climate change in a firm effort to eventually transition to all electric vehicles statewide. Underneath the new decision by the California Air Resources Board, 100% of all new cars sold will be required to be completely free of fossil fuel emissions largely responsible for global warming. Additionally, the requirements further state that 35% of new vehicles sold in California must produce zero emissions by 2026 and rise to 68% by 2030.
This is a game-changer for the U.S. and also the auto industry, as California is the largest auto market in the country—and over a dozen other states are well-known for following California’s lead when making decisions regarding emissions. Reportedly, 12 additional states are likely to follow in California’s footsteps for a zero-emissions policy, with five others next in line. If California’s policy continues to catch on within the next few years, severe restrictions on gasoline vehicles would impact roughly one-third of the nation’s auto industry.
California Governor Gavin Newsom gave a brief statement about the decision, saying “The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution.”
Similarly, electric vehicle expert Margo Oge added, “This is huge. California will now be the only government in the world that mandates zero-emission vehicles. It is unique.”
