The Austrian Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is said to be working on a study that would end sales of vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines by 2020. While Austria is the fourth country rather than the first ​to be considering such a measure, joining Norway, Holland, and India , its timeframe is by far the tightest. In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner explained why he believes it will take time for cars in Europe to move away from fossil fuels. According to Jurgen Schneider of the Federal Environment Agency, transport currently accounts for 45% of Austria’s carbon emissions, hence the need for such an ambitious plan.
The Austrian Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is said to be working on a study that would end sales of vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines by 2020. While Austria is the fourth country rather than the first ​to be considering such a measure, joining Norway, Holland, and India, its timeframe is by far the tightest. The plan is not yet finalised, but is part of a wider endeavour to cut the use of fossil fuels in the country by 60% by 2030, and 90% by 2050. According to Jurgen Schneider of the Federal Environment Agency, transport currently accounts for 45% of Austria’s carbon emissions, hence the need for such an ambitious plan.