Stockholm to Ban Fossil Fuel Cars from City Center
Stockholm plans to ban cars that use gasoline or diesel oil from the city center from 2025.
The city said it will become the first European capital to start banning fossil fuel vehicles completely.
The ban will cover 20 blocks, or 180,000 square meters, including the Swedish capital's main business and shopping areas.
Lars Stromgren, from the Green Party, said the ban will make Stockholm "nicer and healthier" and help it to reduce the impact of global climate change.
"In Stockholm, everyone should be able to breathe the air without getting sick … Now we are taking the next big step to make this a reality," Stromgren wrote on X, which used to be called Twitter.
The city wants to create an "environmental zone" that only electric vehicles and emergency vehicles can enter, Stromgren told the Associated Press.
Other European capitals such as Paris, Madrid and Athens plan to reduce carbon emissions through bans on diesel vehicles.
In London, drivers of many gasoline and diesel vehicles must pay about $15 to enter an Ultra Low Emission Zone.
The zone began in central London in 2019 and a larger area was created in August 2023 to cover the whole city.
However, speaking to Air Quality News, Stromgren said Stockholm plans "more far-reaching" changes than other European capitals.
And, as well as fossil-free vehicles, the city will encourage the use of bicycles and public transport.
Stockholm wants to use more electricity from renewable energy and make the whole city "fossil free" by 2040.
In early 2025, it will decide whether to ban fossil fuel vehicles from a larger area of the city center.
