From 2035, new cars with a combustion engine may no longer be sold. From then on, Dutch consumers will only be able to opt for fully electric cars. But a government adviser believes that car ownership is not future-proof for everyone anyway.
We are talking about Jan Willem Erisman, chairman of the new Scientific Climate Council. That position makes Erisman one of the government’s top climate advisers. The climate scientist wonders AD openly wondered whether we shouldn’t look at transport very differently: “Should everyone have a car, or should public transport be strengthened?”
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Question marks about electric car for everyone
Erisman sees that the stimulation of the electric car creates the expectation that everyone will soon be able to exchange their car with a combustion engine for an EV. But he questions this: “The question is whether this is even possible in the long term with the limited available raw materials and critical materials.”
Dichotomy
The consultant is therefore exploring other options. In addition, he sees a clear dichotomy in the Netherlands. “Perhaps we should move towards a completely different mode of mobility, where you have much more shared and public transport in the Randstad. Beyond that, you could look more at electric transport. That is a completely different concept than investing as much as possible in the cheapest possible electric cars,” says Erisman.
“More electric cars in the current line, that’s the same thinking. A completely new transport system, which is much more suitable and reduces emissions much more, is only a real transition.”
That’s just the way it is
Erisman realizes that his statements can instill disgust in people. However, he points to the climate goals that have been set: “We have to achieve climate neutrality in 2050. That means no more human influence on the climate,” says the adviser, who calls for action. “If you want to achieve climate neutrality in 2050, we must now work together to change the system. That’s just the way it is.”