Marie RaineChannel Islands

BBC An environmental campaigner says Jersey and Guernsey should be doing more to encourage walking and cycling, alongside electric car use. Image shows people cycling alongside the seafront in St Helier in JerseyBBC

An environmental campaigner says Jersey and Guernsey should be doing more to encourage walking and cycling, alongside electric car use

An environmental campaigner says more should be done to encourage walking, cycling and electric car use in Jersey and Guernsey.

Rollo de Sausmarez, from the Better Journeys Project, broadly supports the policy, but said simply replacing traditional vehicles with electric cars was not the most sustainable solution.

He said more needed to be done to encourage islanders to use greener transport – including active travel – more urgently.

As part of climate change targets, governments in both islands have pledged to ban the importation of petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030. The States of Guernsey said it was “committed” to encouraging sustainable transport.

Rollo de Sausmarez, Committee Member, Better Journeys Project in the Channel Islands, in an office wearing a blue blazer and white shirt.

Rollo de Sausmarez is a committee member for the Better Journeys Project in the Channel Islands

Meanwhile, Jersey’s government has begun a public consultation on the proposed changes, due to come into force in 2030.

Deputy Steve Luce, Jersey’s environment minister, said nobody would need to surrender or scrap their vehicle.

He said: “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.”

Mr de Sausmarez said there would be “loads of benefits” to transitioning quickly to greener transport in the islands.

“It’s most feasible in places like Guernsey and Jersey where things are close. None of us live far from homes or schools or workplaces.”

Jersey's Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, outside the Government of Jersey offices in Union Street in St Helier, wearing a navy blazer, shirt and tie.

Jersey’s Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce said no one would need to surrender or scrap their vehicles

Mr de Sausmarez added the islands would be better places to work and live if changes like this were made “as swiftly as possible”.

The launch of the consultation coincides with the climate change summit, COP30, being held in Brazil.

Several world leaders have decided not to attend, including the President of the United States.

Meanwhile, the UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged the waning political support on climate change.

He said it had previously been a unity issue internationally and in the UK but “today sadly that consensus is gone”.



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