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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/26/governments-air-quality-plan-is-cynical-headline-grabbing-say-critics
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| Government's air quality plan is cynical headline-grabbing, say critics | Government's air quality plan is cynical headline-grabbing, say critics |
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| Michael Gove’s new air quality plan has been criticised for failing to take enough immediate action to stop people dying from pollution, while promising to ban petrol and diesel cars in 23 years’ time. | Michael Gove’s new air quality plan has been criticised for failing to take enough immediate action to stop people dying from pollution, while promising to ban petrol and diesel cars in 23 years’ time. |
| The long-awaited document contains a pledge to stop new petrol and diesel cars being sold after 2040, as well as measures to encourage councils to tackle pollution hotspots and a limited scrappage scheme for the most polluting older vehicles. | The long-awaited document contains a pledge to stop new petrol and diesel cars being sold after 2040, as well as measures to encourage councils to tackle pollution hotspots and a limited scrappage scheme for the most polluting older vehicles. |
| The plan has been subject to a protracted high court battle over whether its measures are adequate and was due to be published at 9.30am but has still not appeared online. | The plan has been subject to a protracted high court battle over whether its measures are adequate and was due to be published at 9.30am but has still not appeared online. |
| However, environmental campaigners, industry bodies and opposition politicians said they believe its action plan falls short of dealing with a health emergency caused by illegal levels of air pollution, which kills thousands of people a year from related health conditions. | However, environmental campaigners, industry bodies and opposition politicians said they believe its action plan falls short of dealing with a health emergency caused by illegal levels of air pollution, which kills thousands of people a year from related health conditions. |
| Ministers have been urged to introduce charges for vehicles to enter a series of “clean air zones” (CAZ) but the government only wants taxes to be considered as a last resort, fearing a backlash against any move that punishes motorists. | Ministers have been urged to introduce charges for vehicles to enter a series of “clean air zones” (CAZ) but the government only wants taxes to be considered as a last resort, fearing a backlash against any move that punishes motorists. |
| Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, was one of the leading critics, saying a “half-hearted commitment from government simply isn’t good enough”. | Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, was one of the leading critics, saying a “half-hearted commitment from government simply isn’t good enough”. |
| “Londoners suffering right now simply can’t afford to wait until 2040,” he added. | “Londoners suffering right now simply can’t afford to wait until 2040,” he added. |
| The Institute of the Motor Industry also raised concerns that the scrappage scheme encouraging car owners to trade in their older diesel vehicles would only cover those sold before 2006. | The Institute of the Motor Industry also raised concerns that the scrappage scheme encouraging car owners to trade in their older diesel vehicles would only cover those sold before 2006. |
| Steve Nash, chief executive of the group, said diesel cars sold between 2006 and 2015 were still of older EU emissions standards, meaning “none of these cars have the Adblue (Urea) treatment introduced with EU-6 which significantly reduces the nitrogen oxide emissions which are now the main cause of concern regarding air quality”. | Steve Nash, chief executive of the group, said diesel cars sold between 2006 and 2015 were still of older EU emissions standards, meaning “none of these cars have the Adblue (Urea) treatment introduced with EU-6 which significantly reduces the nitrogen oxide emissions which are now the main cause of concern regarding air quality”. |
| “So in short it seems that the scrappage scheme is likely to be something of a token gesture,” he said. | |
| A briefing on parts of the plan, seen by the Guardian, heavily focus on the steps that can be taken to help councils improve air quality in specific areas where emissions have breached EU thresholds. | A briefing on parts of the plan, seen by the Guardian, heavily focus on the steps that can be taken to help councils improve air quality in specific areas where emissions have breached EU thresholds. |
| Measures to be urgently brought in by local authorities that have repeatedly breached EU rules include retrofitting buses and other public transport, changing road layouts and altering features such as roundabouts and speed humps. | Measures to be urgently brought in by local authorities that have repeatedly breached EU rules include retrofitting buses and other public transport, changing road layouts and altering features such as roundabouts and speed humps. |
| Reprogramming traffic lights will also be included in local plans, with councils being given £255m to accelerate their efforts. Local emissions hotspots will be required to lay out their plans by March 2018 and finalise them by the end of the year. | |
| A targeted scrappage scheme is also expected to be included but the headline measure was a pledge to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 – even though the government had already previously said 2050 emissions targets required “almost all new cars and vans sold to be near-zero emission at the tailpipe by 2040”. | |
| Friends of the Earth, the green charity, said it was a “cynical” move for the government to grab headlines with the eye-catching promise to ban new diesel cars in future, when there is little in the plan to deal with immediate problems. | Friends of the Earth, the green charity, said it was a “cynical” move for the government to grab headlines with the eye-catching promise to ban new diesel cars in future, when there is little in the plan to deal with immediate problems. |
| The plan was also branded gimmicky by Areeba Hamid, a clean air campaigner at Greenpeace UK. | |
| “While this plan makes the right headline-grabbing noises, in reality it means that children across the UK will continue to be exposed to harmful air pollution for years to come, with potentially irreversible impacts,” she said. “The government cannot shy away any longer from the issue of diesel cars clogging up and polluting our cities, and must now provide real solutions, not just gimmicks.” | “While this plan makes the right headline-grabbing noises, in reality it means that children across the UK will continue to be exposed to harmful air pollution for years to come, with potentially irreversible impacts,” she said. “The government cannot shy away any longer from the issue of diesel cars clogging up and polluting our cities, and must now provide real solutions, not just gimmicks.” |
| Opposition parties also criticised the plan for failing to go far enough and highlighted the weakness of proposals to deal with air quality in the short and medium term. | Opposition parties also criticised the plan for failing to go far enough and highlighted the weakness of proposals to deal with air quality in the short and medium term. |
| Sue Hayman, Labour’s shadow environment secretary, said there had already been “seven years of illegal air pollution under this Conservative government, who have only acted after being dragged through the courts”. | Sue Hayman, Labour’s shadow environment secretary, said there had already been “seven years of illegal air pollution under this Conservative government, who have only acted after being dragged through the courts”. |
| “Despite the scale of the problem of illegal air pollution, we are presented today with further consultations and delays, a squeamish attitude to clean air zones, shunting the problem on to local authorities and no detail about how the government’s 2040 target will be achieved,” she said. “With nearly 40 million people living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution, action is needed now, not in 23 years’ time.” | |
| Caroline Lucas, the co-leader of the Greens and the party’s only MP, said a ban by 2040 was welcome but “does not go nearly far enough or fast enough”. | |
| “We also need action that tackles this health emergency in the coming months and years. Such action must include expanded clean air zones and a fully funded diesel scrappage scheme,” she added. | “We also need action that tackles this health emergency in the coming months and years. Such action must include expanded clean air zones and a fully funded diesel scrappage scheme,” she added. |