When the going gets hot, then it’s time for action

By David Savage, vice president, UK and Ireland, Geotab. As we all reflect on the hottest weather this country has ever faced, the effects of climate change have never been more apparent this close to home. With reports of potential droughts to come, the government’s net zero strategy has recently hit a snag. The UK High Court has recently ruled that its plans are unlawful as they fall short of the Climate Change Act.

That puts their whole strategy into doubt. However, it also means the sustainability focus may fall even more onto the transport sector. After all, transport is the second most polluting industry in the world and accounts for around a fifth of CO₂ emissions. Road transport in itself is responsible for three-quarters of the total transport pollution, well above shipping, rail or aviation (source: IEA).

In addition, many fleet operators are increasingly conscious of their vehicles’ emissions and the need to control them in-line with their own sustainability goals.

Here at Geotab, we’re investing in technologies to unpack these insights, sharing actionable anonymised data with fleet operators to better understand how they can operate their vehicles more effectively and forge a clear path to climate responsibility.

We recently conducted research into public sector fleets across England. We found that nearly half of local authorities are unprepared for the transition to electric, with almost three-quarters having less than 10% of electric vehicles in their fleets.

With only a few years to go until the 2030 ‘end of sale’ deadline for fossil-fuel powered vehicles, now is the time for both the public and private sector to embrace the opportunity presented by EVs and showcase their potential to help bring about a cleaner and better world for us all.

Otherwise, the focus on the transport sector will just get hotter and hotter.