Air Quality - Environmental Audit Committee Contents


Conclusions and recommendations


1.  The air quality problem

2.  Air quality must be a higher priority for Government. Defra must raise the profile of the issue by publicising the latest data on premature deaths more widely and making clear the benefits of improving air quality. (Paragraph 19)

3.  The costs of poor air quality

4.  Good air quality makes a key contribution to preventative healthcare. The Government should ensure that local strategic partnerships embed plans to deliver real improvements in local air quality. (Paragraph 27)

5.  The Government must assess the most cost effective way of meeting mandatory EU targets rather than relying only on a cost-benefit analysis of possible actions. (Paragraph 35)

6.  The Government's assessment of the costs and benefits of action on air quality does not account for all the health effects of poor air quality, the damage to ecosystems and potential fines. The Government should improve the assessment of the costs and benefits of better air quality. The Government must therefore urgently:

  • quantify the impact on morbidity and the cost to the NHS of poor air quality;
  • improve understanding of the health effects of exposure to nitrogen dioxide;
  • estimate the cost of the damage to ecosystems and the environment from poor air quality;
  • fund the research necessary to fill the gaps in the evidence base; and
  • take account of the likely fines from missed EU targets in its air policy appraisal. (Paragraph 37)

7.  Reshaping policy

8.  Better public understanding of air quality issues is critical. The Government must educate the public about the health risk from poor air quality and about how they can limit their exposure and improve air quality. Any campaign on air quality should raise awareness of the actions people can take to reduce emissions of dangerous pollutants and to reduce their exposure. (Paragraph 41)

9.  Government must raise the priority attached to air quality in all government departments and provide better guidance on including air quality impacts in policy appraisals. Only Defra and DfT are formally accountable for air quality, under the Public Service Agreements; other departments that contribute to the problem, including DCLG, DoH, DECC and HMT, are not. Minsters must drive this from the top, introduce measures to ensure this becomes routine practice and accept responsibility for policies that conflict with air quality. (Paragraph 46)

10.  Transport policy must change dramatically if the UK is to meet future targets and reduce exposure to air pollution. Much of this agenda is already being driven by efforts to tackle climate change (like modal shift and smarter travel choices) although some conflicts exist. In addition to improving existing policies, the Government must explain the role played by brake, tyre and road wear in generating particulate matter and research the impact of road surface particulate matter on air quality. (Paragraph 50)

11.  The Government must urgently explore how planning guidance can be strengthened and applied to reduce air pollution. (Paragraph 54)

12.  Local authorities are key to improving air quality. The Government must raise the profile of air quality with all local authorities, encourage the sharing of best practice and ensure that the issue is given sufficient attention across all areas of local authority responsibility, not just within their environmental departments. (Paragraph 56)

13.  Developing a national framework for low emissions zones would raise the profile of the air quality challenge and help drive down emissions in our cities. The Government must ensure that research into the options for such a framework is completed and published at the earliest opportunity. Low emissions zones are costly and are only likely to be effectively implemented on a longer timescale. They will not be necessary in each local authority. What is needed is for all local authorities to develop wide ranging strategies that reduce emissions and drive down concentrations of key pollutants. Local authorities must develop effective policies, closely linked to planning and coupled with existing monitoring activities. (Paragraph 60)



 
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