Environment

EU to Ban Petrol and Diesel Cars

The European Parliament has approved a new law banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2035. The new rule - part of a larger effort to combat climate change in the EU - will speed up the bloc’s transition to electric vehicles. Cars currently account for around 15 per cent of all CO2 emissions in the EU.

The legislation demands that carmakers cut carbon emissions from new cars by 100 per cent. In practice, this means no new fossil fuel-powered vehicles will be able to be sold from 2035 onwards. The approval on Tuesday is one step before the law gets a formal rubber stamp and comes into effect. But some countries are pushing back against the change.

Light Pollution

A new study reveals that light pollution generated by the nighttime glow of the human presence is increasing, marring the ability to see stars in a sky that was once nearly pitch dark before the invention of electric lights. Observations from tens of thousands of observers around the world documenting the number of stars visible in each location show nocturnal sky brightness increased by 7% to 10% each year from 2011 to 2022.

Greater light pollution is raising concerns over its impacts on people and nature.

“For nearly the entire evolutionary history of life on this planet, the night sky was lit by starlight, moonlight and natural airglow,” said lead researcher Christopher Kyba. “Until about 150 years ago, to step outside at night was to be confronted with the cosmos.”