<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">What's happening?</h2>

Large cars called SUVsSports Utility Vehicles. A type of car that sits high off the ground and can drive off-road. are taking over Paris.

SUVs hurt the environmentThe natural world.. Every year, the world's SUVs release more CO2Carbon dioxide. into the air than the UK and Germany put together. In Paris, officials hope that by making SUV owners pay more to park, more people will choose to have smaller cars - or no car at all.

Every day millions of people drive cars without much thought. We drive them to school, to work, to the shops and to the train station.

But many now think we have made a big mistake. Cars polluteTo make the earth, air or water dirty or harmful to life. the air around them, hurting the environment and our health. Over 1.35 million people a year die in car accidents.

Campaigners hope that driving is the new smoking. Cigarettes were once seen as normal. But as doctors learnt about their dangers, people turned away.

But not everyone wants to stop driving. Many people say they need their cars to get to work. And cars allow us to go to many more places quickly and easily.

Yes! Smoking was once something that many people thought was fashionable and even healthy. Now, most people know the dangers. Cars could be replaced by something greener.

<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Find out more </h2>

No! We need cars to take us to all of the places we need to go. They are much quicker than other options. And electric cars could solve the pollution problem.

SUVs - Sports Utility Vehicles. A type of car that sits high off the ground and can drive off-road.

Environment - The natural world.

CO2 - Carbon dioxide.

Pollute - To make the earth, air or water dirty or harmful to life.

Tobacco - A substance smoked in cigarettes. It contains nicotine, which is addictive.