| ClientEarth responds to Mayor Johnson's draft air quality strategy |
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5 October 2009 ClientEarth's CleanAir team has responded to the draft air quality strategy announced by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, today. We highlight the fact that delays announced in the strategy undermine what might otherwise be the beginnings of a credible plan to address London's air pollution problems. Alan Andrews, lawyer for ClientEarth’s CleanAir programme, says: "We are pleased that the mayor has chosen to highlight London’s air quality issues at the Conservative Party Conference today. Air pollution is a major problem in the capital and severely impacts on the lives of Londoners – particularly children and the elderly. We will be looking closely at the details of his draft air quality strategy over the coming days. However, we are dismayed by an apparent theme of his strategy; the delay of meaningful measures to combat air quality problems – in particular the delay of Phase 3 of the Low Emission Zone until 2012. London’s air quality problems are pressing and need to be addressed now, not in several years. The UK is already breaching air quality laws and faces unlimited fines while the health of Londoners continues to suffer. The finalised air quality strategy must include measures of real substance if London is to meet its air quality obligations in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. "Mr Johnson’s strategy gives timescales for when measures will be implemented but not for when he expects London to be in compliance with air quality laws. He correctly asserts that he has in part inherited London’s air quality problems: the city has exceeded air pollution limits established in European law every year since 2005. However, as mayor it is his duty to look to London’s future, and to deliver bold measures to protect the health of all Londoners now. "The European laws on air pollution limits are based on World Health Organisation recommendations and have been established to protect the health of all. The London Assembly’s 2009 air quality report Every Breath You Take says that 3,000 people every year die as a result of poor air quality: recent research suggests this figure may be less than half the reality. Many more suffer the health effects of the dangerous airborne particles and toxic gases that currently remain London’s dirty little secret. "The UK has applied for a time extension to delay the deadline for compliance with European air quality laws on dangerous airborne particles (PM10). Because no credible plan has yet been put forward, ClientEarth has written to the European Commission urging it to refuse the extension. London faces even greater problems from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. In early 2010, London will be in breach of the legal limits for NO2 by an even greater margin. If the government applies for an extension to address NO2 levels without a credible plan, we will consider pressing for this extension to be refused as well. While the UK fails to meet its air quality obligations in London it faces the threat of legal action from the European Commission, which could lead to unlimited lump sum and daily fines. "The mayor wants to make London more attractive for future generations: this will be a tall order if he allows the city’s dangerous air to continue to blight the lives of London’s young. ClientEarth hopes that the forthcoming public consultation on his draft strategy convinces Mr Johnson to take meaningful steps now to combat London’s air problems." |
