The UK has met all its domestic and international commitments for reducing key air pollutants, Air Quality Minister Emma Hardy has confirmed in a formal statement to Parliament.
The statement, which updates Parliament on progress for financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26, fulfils a statutory requirement under the Environment Act 1995.
Emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, non-methane volatile organic compounds and PM2.5 have all declined, with long-term trends showing sustained improvement over recent decades.
The Environment Act 2021 sets two separate targets for PM2.5: capping peak concentrations and cutting the public’s overall exposure. In 2024, the highest recorded PM2.5 level was 11 μg/m³, while population exposure in England has fallen by 25% since 2018.
Local progress is also evident. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of Air Quality Management Areas for nitrogen dioxide fell from 435 to 352 (a 19% reduction) as locations achieved sustained compliance with legal standards.
Building on this, the government will focus on strengthening air quality policy and delivery through a combination of clearer planning, improved communication and tighter regulation. The government is refining its Environmental Improvement Plan to set more precise and measurable priorities, while also integrating PM2.5 targets into planning decisions through interim guidance and pilot schemes with local authorities and developers.
At the same time, efforts are underway to raise public awareness by developing a communications toolkit and building partnerships across government, healthcare, and the voluntary sector to make air quality a more visible everyday issue.
Transparency and local implementation are also key themes, with upgraded public access to air quality data through new digital services and practical support for local authorities via webinars and guidance.
The Government has launched a consultation on cutting fine particulate emissions from domestic burning, including more stringent emission standards for stoves, mandatory labelling and raised penalties for non-compliance.
Air Quality Minister Emma Hardy said: ‘For our health, wellbeing and the environment, this government is determined to clean up and improve air quality.
‘I am delighted to see how far we have come, with levels of harmful air pollutants continuously going down.
‘But there is more to do, and we are determined to keep improving the quality of the air we all breathe, and to protect the public from the effects of air pollution.’
Photo: Hert Niks
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