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The UK's automotive industry lobbied the government to create a scrappage scheme intended to encourage the purchase of fossil fuel vehicles on an equal footing with electric ones. The scheme would be worth £1.5 bn, lower car prices by £2,500 and put 600,000 more cars on the road. A similar scrappage scheme was launched in 2009, following the 2008 financial crisis.
The UK's automotive industry has argued against a green recovery and claimed that all industries should be treated equally in the recovery. However, if the government was to approve the automotive industry's scrappage scheme, it would fail to meet its net-zero commitments and be unable to phase out fossil fuel vehicles by 2040, as it has planned. The transport secretary has even suggested that the deadline should be brought forward to 2032. Thus, the automotive industry's idea is in direct contrast to the UK's goals and commitments.
So far, no decision has been made on the scheme, but the government has already given massive bailouts to major polluting and environmentally destructive companies without any conditions attached. Therefore, it's not impossible that they will approve the automotive industry's scrappage scheme, regardless of its impact on the climate.