Online food ordering and delivery platform Uber Eats has announced that all its couriers will use zero-emission vehicles by 2040.

The move is part of the company’s efforts to create a clean future for the planet.

In order to make Uber an emission-free mobility platform, the couriers will use zero-emission vehicles on public transit or with micro-mobility such as bikes or scooters. 

As part of this new initiative, the company plans to invest in alliances and incentives to enable couriers to shift to e-bikes, EVs and other emission-free modes.

In a statement, Uber Eats' parent company Uber said: “With more than 890,000 merchants in more than 30 countries, alongside millions of couriers and drivers, we have a unique opportunity to help deliver a greener future.

“In the same way we’re leading the ride-hailing industry on the road to zero emissions, we aim to be the first global delivery tech platform to support the transition to more sustainable packaging—not just for Uber Eats merchants, but for the broader restaurant delivery ecosystem.”

The company also intends to eliminate plastic waste from deliveries by the end of this decade.

To address single-use plastic waste, Uber intends to help restaurants to transition to more sustainable packaging in every city it operates in through a mix of discounts, incentives and advocacy.

Uber added: “By supporting nearly one million restaurants worldwide, Uber Eats is uniquely positioned to make a difference.

“In 2020, we introduced a feature to make single-use cutlery strictly opt-in for consumers and we have launched reusable packaging pilots in France, Switzerland, Germany and parts of the UK and the US—but we’ve got a ways to go to halt plastic pollution.”