Ricardo appointed to Defra for UK’s air quality emissions modelling

An agreement between firm and government department will last for three years, and is designed to help the UK fight climate change and air pollution.

Global strategic environmental consulting company, Ricardo, has been selected by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to continue developing and maintaining the Air Quality Emissions Scenario Monitoring Tool until 2025.

A consortium including the company already led on the initial design and development of this technology, which was conceived to help inform national and regional policy, increase the ability to approach air pollution issues pro-actively – for example with early warning public information systems – and shape major initiatives.

To date, these have included the UK Clean Air Strategy, National Air Pollution Control Plan, National Emission Ceilings, and Environment Act Air Quality Targets, not to mention overall net zero aims and the international Gothenburg Protocol. The Welsh Government has also used the tool to assess its emission reduction policies and develop evidence-based, effective legislation on atmospheric pollution.

‘We are pleased that Defra is continuing to trust Ricardo’s world-leading expertise and to use the Scenario Modelling Tool. This provides UK Government with an accessible, clear and reproduceable way to create, review and test policy measures, and their impact on national and local emissions,’ said Rachel Yardley, Technical Director of Air Quality at Ricardo.

‘Over the next two years, we will be working with stakeholders and policy makers across government and industry to ensure that potential future changes in legislation, policy, technology and processes are reflected in UK Government scenario analysis,’ she continued. 

Revisit our recent feature on transboundary air pollution, written by Defra’s Trudy Harrison. 

Image: Alexei Scutari