Monica Araya: The billion-dollar campaign to electrify transport | TED Countdown

TL;DR

Chris Anderson introduces Monica Araya, who shares news of the Drive Electric campaign to tackle emissions from vehicles and its progress in creating a global coalition.

Transcript

Chris Anderson: A year go at global Countdown's virtual launch, Monica Araya, who, among many other things, is a distinguished fellow at the ClimateWorks Foundation, she shared news of a campaign to take on the massive emissions from the world's cars, trucks and buses, etc. And we have an exciting update that we want to share with you. Monica, welc... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 The campaign called Drive Electric aims to take on the massive emissions from vehicles and achieve system change by working with cities, politicians, companies, and empowering citizens. The goal is to create political space for stricter regulations and policy.
• 🚗 An automaker's decision to act is influenced by cities saying no to petrol and diesel cars, politicians making it more difficult for fossil fuels, people showing demand for alternatives, and companies saving money by switching.
• 🌐 Over 70 organizations have formed a coalition called Drive Electric, which has already had success in persuading the European Commission to propose a ban on petrol and diesel cars after 2035.
• ⚡ The overall goal of the Drive Electric campaign is to set timelines for the transition to electric vehicles, such as buses by 2030 and trucks by 2040, and accelerate the shift by saving the planet 160 gigatons of CO2 equivalent.
• 💰 Drive Electric aims to secure funding of approximately one billion dollars over the next five years, with a commitment of 300 million dollars already secured from the Audacious Project and other donors.
• 💡 The campaign believes that progress is being made towards electrification, but only one percent of the global stock of cars and trucks are electric, and projections show a future with fossil fuel cars until 2050. ⏩ Drive Electric aims to accelerate the transition by 20 years and make it happen faster, ultimately showing how systems change works in practice and creating a tipping point.
• ✊ Everyone can play a role by advocating for green zones for electric vehicles, raising ambitions in government, not buying internal-combustion cars, sharing the message, and urging companies to support the transition.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can you attempt system change in the face of a vast industry with over a billion polluting vehicles?

The key point is to work with all the levers of change simultaneously. This includes engaging with cities, politicians, companies, and creating business coalitions. Empowering citizens to play their part and create political space for stricter regulations is also crucial.

Q: How are the various initiatives of the Drive Electric campaign interconnected?

All the initiatives of the Drive Electric campaign build on each other. For example, if automakers see that many cities are saying no more petrol and diesel cars will be allowed, politicians are making it difficult for fossil fuels, millions of people are expressing their anger towards polluting products, and companies are successfully switching and saving money, it creates a strong force for action.

Q: What progress has the Drive Electric campaign made so far?

One notable example of progress is the campaign's persuasion of the European Commission to propose a ban on sales of petrol and diesel cars after 2035. This alone was unthinkable two years ago. Similar progress is happening not only in Europe but also in China, California, and other regions.

Q: What is the overall goal of the Drive Electric campaign?

The goal of the campaign is to persuade the world to set timelines for ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars. This includes setting targets such as no more petrol and diesel cars by 2035, buses by 2030, and trucks by 2040. The next five years are critical in achieving these goals and creating a tipping point in the transformation of transportation.

Q: Is the move to electrification already inevitable?

While progress has been made, with Tesla as a notable pioneer, only one percent of the global stock of cars and trucks is currently electric. In some industry projections, fossil fuel cars are still expected to play a significant role up to 2050. So, the move to electrification is not yet inevitable, especially in developing countries.

Q: How much can the Drive Electric campaign accelerate the transition to electric vehicles?

The campaign aims to accelerate the transition by 20 years. This accelerated transition has the potential to save the planet 160 gigatons of CO2 equivalent, which is more than three years' worth of humanity's entire excess emissions.

Q: How does the Drive Electric campaign plan to take on industries with trillions of dollars in revenue?

The Drive Electric campaign acknowledges opposition from industries, but it aims to overcome it by growing the coalition and securing funding for all its partners. Collaboration with philanthropists, such as those involved in the Audacious Project, has already secured commitments of hundreds of millions of dollars towards the campaign's billion-dollar goal.

Q: How can individuals contribute to the Drive Electric campaign?

Individuals can play a part by advocating for green zones where only electric vehicles are welcome in their cities, raising the level of ambition within their governments, considering not buying internal-combustion cars, and spreading the campaign's message through social media or other creative means. Companies can also play a role by urging them to align with the transition to electric vehicles.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Monica Araya shares news of the Drive Electric campaign, which aims to tackle emissions from cars, trucks, and buses. The campaign involves working with cities, politicians, companies, and citizens to create stricter regulations and promote the adoption of electric vehicles.

• The coalition behind the Drive Electric campaign has already achieved progress, persuading the European Commission to propose a ban on petrol and diesel car sales after 2035. The campaign is working globally, from China to California, to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.

• The overall goal of the Drive Electric campaign is to set timelines for the phasing out of petrol and diesel cars, with an emphasis on buses by 2030 and trucks by 2040. The campaign aims to save the planet 160 gigatons of CO2 and is seeking $1 billion in funding over the next five years.