In August, the UN said humans have caused irreversible damage to planet earth due to failure to minimise fossil-fuel emissions.

Six major car manufacturers along with several countries committed on Wednesday to cut fossil fuel emitting vehicles by 2040, as part of a initiative discussed at the UN Climate Summit COP26 in Glasgow.

The move comes in response to global pleas to save the planet from climate change and human-caused environmental degradation. 

Some of the world’s top carmakers signed the Glasgow Declaration on Zero Emission Cars and Vans, including Ford, General Motors, Sweden’s Volvo Cars, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, China’s BYD Co Ltd and Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd.

In addition, the world’s second-most populous country India joined hands to cut carbon emissions and curb global warming, as well as international vehicle corporate purchasers such as Leaseplan, which rents 1.7 million cars in 30 different countries.

However, top two carmakers, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG, as well as major car markets China, the United States and Germany refrained from signing the deal, noting such a shift to zero emissions would be a big challenge. 

The Glasgow Declaration on Zero Emission Cars and Vans, unveiled at climate talks in the Scottish city, sees the groups pledge to “rapidly” accelerate the transition to low-carbon emission vehicles, aiming for green leading markets by 2035.

Transportation services such as cars, trucks, ships, buses and planes constitute around a quarter of global carbon emissions, according to data from the International Energy Agency.

Read also: Qatar to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent as part of new ‘climate action plan’

The ongoing summit has brought together world leaders, politicians and activists to accelerate joint action under the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to reduce emissions on a global level.

New Zealand and Poland are also among the countries that announced their entrance into the 2040 plan. 

Britain, the host of the COP26 summit, is planning to achieve this goal ahead of 2040. 

Leading international transport company Uber has also signed the deal.

Here in Qatar, authorities have taken on major initiatives to combat climate change.

Read also: Qatar’s amir joins world leaders in Glasgow for COP26 climate summit

Qatar, the FIFA 2022 World Cup host, recently announced plans to convert 25% of public transport to electric energy in 2022— just in time for the big tournament— with 100% expected by 2030.

The Gulf nation also launched a national Climate Change Action Plan to reduce around 25 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The plan is set to take Qatar closer to achieving its sustainable development goal by 2030 — which also falls in line with its overall 2030 National Vision and national development strategy.

“Qatar considers climate change to be one of the biggest challenges of our time, which calls for urgent and dedicated measures at the local, regional and global levels,” Environment Minister Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie said at the presser previously.

“The NCCAP is built on strategic plans for economic diversification set out in the Qatar National Vision 2030, the National Development Strategy and is aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development goals,” he added.

Qatar has also established an environment and climate change ministry to tackle the global issue.

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