While “ admirable in principle ”, Barnard suggests it ’ s highly unlikely that we will meet these targets in time . “ Economic and financial burden aside , at present rate , patient numbers will skyrocket to 2.5 million air pollution cases by 2035 . Yet DEFRA ’ s proposed target will be almost impossible for the UK to hit within the allotted time frame , meaning it is setting itself up to fail before it even begins . “

Barnard says there are several reasons why reducing air pollution to 10 micrograms per cubic metre by 2040 may be impossible . “ Firstly , DEFRA has not set out the legallybinding interim targets and robust implementation mechanisms required to actually deliver its ambitions .

“ Secondly , DEFRA has so far failed to arm local councils with the tools , advice and funding to implement air quality measures at a local level . And , finally , DEFRA ’ s targets are arbitrary across the whole country , failing to account for the vastly different levels of air quality across different regions .”

Like many of us , Barnard believes that announcing an unrealistic target erodes public confidence and undermines its own

In 2012 , with the release of the United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development ’ s outcome document , entitled ‘ The future we want ’, countries committed to promoting sustainable development policies that support healthy air quality in the context of sustainable cities and human settlements .

Three years later , the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlined what it called “ a road map to achieving sustainable development , environmental protection and prosperity for all ”, recognising that air pollution abatement is important to the attainment of the Sustainable

Development Goals .

KATE BARNARD DIRECTOR , ENJOY THE AIR sustainabilitymag . com 75