Ben Pearce, Head of the Health Effects of Air Pollution at Impact on Urban Health, welcomes ambitious air quality targets but says the harder work of delivery starts now.
The Government’s new Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets out one of the most ambitious air quality commitments the UK has ever made: to cut average levels of the deadliest air pollutant, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), to ten micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) by 2030.
Meeting these targets has the potential to deliver massive benefits to the country. Every year in the UK, air pollution contributes to up to 43,000 premature deaths and costs the economy an estimated £29 billion. While it affects us all, it disproportionately affects children, people from racialised communities, and people in lower income areas.
Is the new plan ambitious?
In one sense, the new PM2.5 target of 10 µg/m³ by 2030 is not dramatic. If you look at average background pollution across whole towns and cities, you’ll see that parts of the country already sit near the Government’s new targets.
There is also an important health reality behind the ambition. Even at 10 µg/m³, PM2.5 would still be double the World Health Organization’s health-based guideline of 5 µg/m.
Does that mean the Government is just committing to levels it’s already close to meeting?
Not quite. The Government’s ambition looks very different when viewed through the lens of exposure and inequality.
People in urban areas, especially people on lower incomes, those living near busy roads, and those in poor-quality housing, are more likely to be affected by air pollution than national or city-wide averages suggest.
Pollution concentrates around traffic corridors, high levels of construction activity, and dense housing. Children growing up in these environments, exposed to high levels of air pollution every day, face lifelong illnesses due to the air they breathe. Older people and those with long-term health conditions face higher risks of hospitalisation and early death.
This is where the Government’s real ambition must lie. Updating air quality targets is a positive first step, but the focus now must be on delivery and prioritising those urban areas where air quality is worst. Driving down exposure in the hotspots where air pollution is structurally embedded is the real challenge.
But how to achieve it?
Traffic not the only source
For much of the past two decades, the biggest improvements in air quality have come from addressing traffic, for example with low-emission zones.
But today, PM2.5 and PM10 come from a broader range of sources. For example, domestic wood burning, construction, and freight all play a significant role.
That’s why it is right that the Government has reinforced its commitment to reducing air pollution from a range of sources. Insights from our work to improve air quality in south London show that it’s possible to work with businesses and residents to deliver cleaner air.
What the Government must do now:
If the ambition of the Environmental Improvement Plan is to translate into real improvements in health, three areas now demand focus:
Wood burning: Domestic wood burning is one of the largest sources of PM2.5 in many urban areas. In those areas, it’s mostly wealthier households that burn wood as an aesthetic choice rather than out of necessity, yet the health harms fall on surrounding communities. The Government’s consultation on wood burning must be published without delay and measures to reduce emissions from burning wood implemented urgently.
Freight: Van deliveries remain a major source of NO2 and particulate pollution. Our work with Just Economics found that diesel van deliveries alone cost London more than £2 billion a year in hidden social and health costs. I welcome the EIP commitments to decarbonise HGVs and to ensure 70% of vans sold will be zero emission by 2030. Accelerating the transition to zero emission freight, tightening standards and investing in last mile logistics will be essential if roadside pollution is to fall where it is most damaging.
Supporting local authorities: The Government’s ambitious new target for PM2.5 is a sign to local authorities that bold action is needed. Local authorities will be expected to lead much of the work to improve air quality, yet many remain underfunded. National ambition will only succeed if it is matched with investment.
The true test of the environment plan
The new Environmental Improvement Plan is a positive first step toward improving air quality. The true test for its success will be whether the children growing up in the most polluted areas and the communities long burdened by air pollution are the first to see meaningful, sustained improvements in the quality of the air they breathe.
If that happens the Environmental Improvement Plan will not just demonstrate success against a set of targets. It will leave a lasting positive legacy for public health.
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