Shift to greener travel too slow, report warns

An environmental campaigner has urged stronger action to promote walking, cycling, and electric vehicle use in Jersey and Guernsey.

Rollo de Sausmarez, a committee member of the Better Journeys Project, said he supported the islands’ current policies but warned that simply swapping petrol and diesel cars for electric vehicles was “not the most sustainable solution.”

He argued that islanders should be encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly ways of travelling, such as walking and cycling, more urgently.

As part of their climate change targets, both island governments plan to ban the importation of petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030. The States of Guernsey said it remained “committed to encouraging sustainable transport.”

Meanwhile, the Government of Jersey has launched a public consultation on the proposed changes, which are set to take effect in 2030.

Jersey’s Environment Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, said residents would not be forced to give up or scrap their current vehicles.

“We want people to use their existing vehicles until the end of their useful lives, before sustainably replacing them with a zero or low-emission alternative,” he said.

Mr de Sausmarez said a faster transition would bring “loads of benefits” to both islands.

“It’s most feasible in places like Guernsey and Jersey, where distances are short — none of us live far from our homes, schools, or workplaces,” he added.

He also said the islands would become “better places to work and live” if greener transport options were introduced “as swiftly as possible.”

The launch of Jersey’s consultation coincides with the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, which several world leaders, including the President of the United States, have chosen not to attend.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also acknowledged the declining political unity around climate action, saying that while it was once a shared international priority, “today sadly that consensus is gone.”