Govt aims for UK to be at 'forefront of climate action and green transport' - Queen's Speech
Wed 18 May 2016
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The Queen's Speech, which lays out the Government's legislative agenda for the current Parliament, included a Government commitment to tackle climate change and plans to increase investment in green transport. The Queen said: “My ministers will ensure the United Kingdom is at the forefront of technology for new forms of transport, including autonomous and electric vehicles.”
She also said: “My Government will continue to play a leading role in world affairs, using its global presence to tackle climate change and address major international security, economy and humanitarian challenges.”
The speech included a Government commitment to respond to global trends set by the recent Paris Agreement by playing "a leading role” in efforts to fight global climate change.
According to EDIE, much of the UK’s fate in terms of addressing climate change will rest on the level of ambition set in the fifth carbon budget - the levels of which were recently recommended by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
A Transport Bill, outlined by the Queen, is set to include new laws to “pioneer” driverless cars, while also implementing legislation to support the uptake of electric vehicles (EV).
The purpose of the Bill is to create the conditions that drives innovation and puts the UK at the forefront of modern global transport developments as part of the country’s long term
The Bill aims to put the UK at the forefront of autonomous and driverless vehicle ownership and use and aims to set the framework for the UK’s first spaceport and autonomous vehicles.
Elements of the Bill include:
• Encouraging potential investors in autonomous vehicles, spaceplane operations and spaceports, creating highly skilled jobs and spurring innovation across the economy.
• Legislation that will put the UK at the forefront of safe technology in the autonomous vehicles industry, such as drones, and spaceplanes.
• Ensuring appropriate insurance is available to support the use of autonomous and driverless vehicles.
Trials of automated and driverless cars are currently taking place in Bristol, Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Coventry (The 4 Cities Driverless Car Trials).
The LowCVP Annual Conference on 30 June will include an investigation of the carbon impacts of growing vehicle autonomy and the integration of new communications and information technology. The Conference session is entitled: "Efficient, intelligent and autonomous; how new technologies can change the outlook for transport carbon."
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