We’re discussing the future of EVs at youth-focused COP26 event
The world’s biggest climate summit is currently underway in Glasgow as leaders from across the globe come together in a bid to tackle climate change.
It’s hoped that COP26 will be a major catalyst for reducing global carbon emissions and aside from the main conference there are lots of sister events taking place across the city.
EXTREME Hangout at COP26 is running a programme of events throughout the conference that are focused on giving younger people a platform for their voices to be heard on climate action.
And on Wednesday (10 November) this youth-focused hub, created by EXTREME International in partnership with One Young World, is hosting an event to highlight clean transport.
How do EVs fit in to all this?
Electric vehicles are seen as the future of clean automotive travel and our very own Becky Whitmore, EV Senior Product Owner, will be part of an expert panel speaking about the road to clean transport on 10 November.
She is due on stage at 5pm as part of a 60-minute discussion encouraging young people to understand the importance of electric cars.
To watch a live stream of Becky’s appearance at the event, visit the EXTREME Hangout website at 5pm.
This is a fantastic opportunity for us to celebrate our commitment to electro-mobility, especially with a younger audience, and Becky will be illustrating how we’re working hard to make these vehicles more accessible and affordable.
How does Becky feel about the future of EVs?
Becky said: “It’s really important that zero carbon emitting vehicles dominate the next generation of transport and clearly electric cars are central to this being a success.
“It’s promising that electric vehicles have never been more popular than they are today and our research shows that the recent fuel crisis has only accelerated the surge in demand for EVs and their new technologies
“But the question is, how do we achieve mainstream adoption of these vehicles, and how can we ensure that there is a high level of accessibility and affordability for all?
“Here at Volkswagen Financial Services UK we’re doing a lot of great work in this area and I’m really excited to share our achievements with a younger audience who can help influence the future of clean travel for generations to come.”
What is the Government doing to help?
The Government has said it will ban the sale of diesel and petrol engine cars by the end of the decade, which provides a clear timescale for manufacturers, retailers, and finance providers to make the switch to electric vehicles for motorists as convenient and desirable as possible.
In his autumn Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak reiterated the government’s pledge of an extra £350 million to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains, as well as an extra £620 million for electric car grants and infrastructure as part of its Net Zero Strategy in the lead up to the COP26 climate summit.
What is COP26?
For the past 26 years the United Nations has brought together almost every country on earth for global climate summits, called COPs (Conference of the Parties).
In the time since the first ever COP in Berlin in 1995, climate change has transformed from being a fringe topic to a global issue.
This year, the COP26 is being held in Glasgow from 1 November to 12 November. With an expected attendance of over 30,000, COP26 will be the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement and is set to drive vital and urgent action for the future of our planet.
For more information on electric vehicles, visit our dedicated EV hub.
READ MORE: How has the fuel crisis impacted people’s attitudes to electric cars?
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