The Race Equality Foundation has joined with Global Action Plan on a coordinated open letter, signed by 40 organisations – including Asthma + Lung UK, British Heart Foundation, Mums for Lungs and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – calling on all political parties to recognise the importance of clean air and take meaningful action to address air pollution, published today.
Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health, associated with up to 43,000 deaths and millions of cases of ill health in the UK each year. The letter was sent to party leaders, parliamentarians, and manifesto writers in a united bid to encourage action on clean air to improve people’s lives, reduce health inequalities and protect the environment.
The letter asks political parties to commit to four core clean air policies in their manifestos for the next General Election:
- A Clean Air Act with enhanced air quality targets and the legal right to breathe clean air
- A public engagement campaign on air quality and health
- Investment in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure and facilities
- The establishment of Clean Air Frameworks to bring together local authorities and health and social care teams to work together on clean air
The policy proposals were co-developed by the Clean Air Advisory Group, set up earlier this year by Global Action Plan and Health Equals, with the goal of driving forward political action on clean air and improved health outcomes. Members include the Centre for Mental Health, Race Equality Foundation, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sustrans and The Wildlife Trusts. The group scrutinised and peer reviewed a range of clean air policies to settle on a final four that are practical, possible and will make a difference to public health in Britain.
READ THE LETTER
What are the main political parties’ positions on clean air?
The Labour Party recently re-confirmed their longstanding commitment to passing a Clean Air Act if elected to government. Detail on the Act is limited; specific commitments include a legal right to breathe clean air, placing “tough new duties” on ministers, and the incorporation of World Health Organization standards for “safe air”. Labour also proposes to work with employers to protect workers at high risk of exposure to harmful air pollutants.
The Liberal Democrats supported an Early Day Motion in support of Ella’s Law (the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill); nine key spokespeople, including Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP, signed up. A £20 billion Clean Air Fund has been promised as part of the Green Recovery Plan, to improve walking and cycling routes for children to get to school and invest in pollution-free public transport.
The Conservative Party made several commitments to clean air in the Environment Improvement Plan 2023, including enabling half of all journeys in towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030 (recommendation three of this open letter). The party introduced Britain’s first Clean Air Act in 1956. Recent rollbacks of green and net zero policies have left uncertainty about the party’s ambition on clean air.
Air quality is a devolved matter, and the national administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for addressing air pollution within their national strategies.
