Australia, India liable to turning into dumping grounds for polluting automobiles

By Ragini Saxena

Nations sluggish to undertake electrical automobiles are more likely to find yourself with a glut of used gasoline automobiles in the event that they fail to speed up the shift to electrification, in accordance with a report by London-based think-tank Carbon Tracker.

 

With China, North America and Europe phasing out inner combustion engine automobiles, automakers could resort to promoting older, polluting fashions in Africa, Asia and South America, Ben Scott, senior automotive analyst at Carbon Tracker, wrote within the report launched Friday.  

Countries with weak or no targets to decarbonise automobiles embrace India, Australia, Thailand, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia and South Africa, in accordance with the report. Many gained’t be capable to import second-hand EVs from locations the place the push to recycle supplies for battery manufacturing is gaining momentum. 

The monetary burden of imports on creating nations can even worsen with out clear targets to finish gross sales of gasoline automobiles, Scott mentioned. 

Africa spends $80 billion a 12 months on importing transport fuels, accounting for two.5 per cent of its gross home product, in accordance with the report, which mentioned the continent, Asia and South America may save over $100 billion mixed a 12 months on gasoline imports and scale back commerce deficits via insurance policies that support EV adoption.

Governments ought to incentivize the shift with insurance policies resembling import bans and age restrictions on used automobiles, emission limits and the removing of tariffs on EVs. Increasing home manufacturing and recycling of EVs are additionally essential steps to chop transport emissions. 

For creating markets, accelerating the change to battery-powered automobiles will open up financial alternatives starting from mineral mining and manufacturing to gross sales, infrastructure and recycling, in accordance with the report.