No major new funding as UK abandons recommended air pollution targets

Downing Street’s 262-page Environmental Investment Plan (EIP), published this week, contains no commitments to increase funding for most environmental issues, including air quality, as bar is set lower than leading health experts advised. 

Following the publication of the document, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey issued a stark statement about the need to manage expectations, and in turn setting UK’s limits on air pollution for the next ten years at a higher level than bodies such as the World Health Organisation have recommended. This comes just a week after an air pollution warning spanning several days was issued for London. 

‘We have cleaner air. I want it to be even cleaner. Now, I would have loved to have made our target to achieve 10 micrograms [of PM2.5, per cubic metre of air] by 2030, not 2040. Many parts of the country already enjoy this, but the evidence shows us that with the best will in the world we cannot achieve that everywhere by the end of the decade, particularly in London,’ Coffey said. 

Despite this, a number of campaigners, charity organisations and research bodies have argued against the claim in favour of introducing tighter targets and regulations which could mean falling in line with the recommended limits. Crucially, concerns over diesel cars – new models of which will no longer be sold after 2030, but the second hand market will continue – and wood burning are particularly widespread. 

Just last week, a public health warning was issued across London, spanning successive days. PM2.5 and other types of harmful particulate mater spiked across the capital, leading to the worse air quality measurements in over half a decade. Further analysis found the main contributor was solid fuel to heat homes. This backed up warnings last year that the cost of energy crisis would have a direct impact on air pollution unless there was significant support for the most economically vulnerable.

At the time of writing, Coffey has ruled out a ban on wood burning stoves in favour of tighter regulations around their use, especially in Smoke Control Areas. In 2021, Air Quality News revealed that across London no fines had been issued any council relating to the use of such stoves, even though the majority of the city falls under legislation designed to control smoke. 

‘The Environmental Improvement Plan sets out the government’s approach to delivering our long-term environmental targets and wider green commitments.  However, it’s important to consider the EIP in the context of environmental targets that lacked ambition in the first place,’ said Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

‘The goal must be for us to exceed the current targets for air quality, biodiversity, water and resource efficiency and to do it more rapidly.  The future of our natural environment demands this,’ she continued. ‘Achieving the objectives in the EIP will require a whole economy approach to delivery, as well as action across the whole of government.  It’s disappointing that the implementation of the Policy Statement on Environmental Principles, consulted on in the summer of 2021, will not be embedded into the design and development of new policy across Government until November 2023.’

Image: (C) Alexander Tsang