ZERO-WASTE
According to the United Nations , Member States recognise the need to substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals , as well as those caused by air , water and soil pollution and contamination by 2030 . This is in addition to recognising the need to reduce the adverse per-capita environmental impact of cities – including by paying special attention to air quality and waste management , municipal or otherwise , by 2030 .
However , there continues to be a disparity between recognising the need to improve air quality , and actually doing it .
The UK – a case in point ? According to Public Health England , air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK , with between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year attributed to longterm exposure . It also estimates that the health cost of air pollution in the UK will be £ 60mn in 2025 , rising to an eye-watering £ 5.3bn by 2035 .
Kate Barnard is a former Engineering Programme Manager at Rolls Royce and now runs Enjoy the Air , which helps city councils to achieve air quality standards to avoid government fines . She says that , with the exception of “ rare successes ” – such as the Montreal Protocol – almost every climate policy commitment , pledge and target announced by governments around the world is belied by the fact that they are failing to deliver on their commitments .
“ Often , the targets set out are so ambitious that they are simply doomed to fail . Sadly , the UK Government ’ s upcoming air quality targets are set to fall into this very same trap ,” she says .
As part of its flagship Environment Bill , the UK Government has committed to introducing new air quality targets by October this year – so just next month . The Department for Food Environment and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) has indicated that these targets seek to limit air pollution to 10 micrograms per cubic metre by 2040 , in line with World Health Organisation ( WHO ) recommendations .
74 September 2022