The UK Foreign Office has announced plans to switch diplomats into all-electric or hybrid cars as part of a drive to make it the “greenest diplomatic service in the world”.
Diplomats all around the world will quickly start switching to low- or zero-emission cars, with the global fleet becoming all-electric by 2030.
UK embassies in Oslo and Holy See have already replaced their cars. 30 other UK posts have cars on order and will receive their new green motors by April 2020.
The all-electric Jaguar I-Pace is going to feature heavily in the Foreign Office green fleet plans.
All embassies will also have fast-chargers installed.
“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time,” said Foreign Office permanent under-secretary Sir Simon McDonald.
“Our fleet of flag cars is a high-profile tool for demonstrating the UK’s international leadership on climate change diplomacy.
“I want us to be the greenest diplomatic service in the world. Shifting our vehicles away from petrol to all-electric will help us achieve this.”
The Foreign Office also plans to extend the use of solar energy on its buildings, and eliminate single-use plastics across all global posts.
