On this map, we can see the 27 member countries of the European Union as well as California represented in blue in an ocean of countries that have remained in white, the legend implying that the sale of petrol or diesel cars would remain permitted in all these country. And illustrating in passing the drop in the ocean represented by these decisions. If it is true that we are far from the historic decision for the climate praised by MEPs, this map still deserves some adjustments. Let’s take stock of the various legislations already passed or in the process of being voted in the four corners of the world.
And Europe
Norway and the United Kingdom remain white on this map. However, if these two countries are not (or no longer) part of the Union, they have nevertheless provided for even more drastic rules in terms of internal combustion engines: Norway will be the first country to ban their sale from 2025. In Iceland, it will be in 2030, as in the United Kingdom, which will however leave the field open to hybrids until 2035.
In America
North America should take on a much more bluish look in the image, and for good reason: Canada, the second country in the world by area, has also set a 2035 ban on the sale of purely thermal engines. Even in the United States, California is not the only state to have taken measures in this area. At least 5 other states (Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington) have planned to do the same. And they might be up to 17 to adopt similar rules, with however some variations and local particularities. Further south, Chile will do the same in 2035.
The ban on heat engines in 2035 definitively adopted
In Asia
Things are also moving in Asia, since Japan is planning the same type of ban with a similar deadline. However, with the particularity of preserving hybrid vehicles, so as not to undermine the national flagship, Toyota, master if there is one of this technology.
China will be a little less restrictive, but foresees that 50% of sales will have to be plug-in or hydrogen, the remaining 50% conventional hybrids. Hainan province will only allow 100% electric cars. In Singapore, only electric vehicles can still be registered from 2030.
In Africa
Even in Africa, where we still often imagine that our “downgraded” cars will end their lives, there are plans to ban heat engines. This is the case of Egypt, which might ban them from 2040, just like Cape Verde, which would even consider advancing this date to 2035.
Many more will follow
To those countries that have already voted or openly discussed a ban on fossil fuels, many more will be added. At COP26 in Dublin, a total of 40 countries committed to ending thermal engines by 2040 at the latest. It remains to be seen whether all of them will keep their word. But in any case, in the light of the information above, we can already say that the world map of 2035 will be much more “blue” than the one currently circulating on social networks.
