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Government's air quality plan is 'little more than shabby rewrite' Government's air quality plan is 'little more than shabby rewrite'
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The government’s new air pollution plan is “underwhelming and lacking in urgency” and amounts to “little more than a shabby rewrite”, according the environmental lawyers whose legal action forced ministers act to produce it.The government’s new air pollution plan is “underwhelming and lacking in urgency” and amounts to “little more than a shabby rewrite”, according the environmental lawyers whose legal action forced ministers act to produce it.
The UK’s action to cut illegal levels of toxic air has twice been judged unlawfully poor, after ClientEarth sued ministers. The environment secretary, Michael Gove, published the new strategy on Wednesday, which includes a long-term pledge to ban all new petrol and diesel cars by 2040.The UK’s action to cut illegal levels of toxic air has twice been judged unlawfully poor, after ClientEarth sued ministers. The environment secretary, Michael Gove, published the new strategy on Wednesday, which includes a long-term pledge to ban all new petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
However, James Thornton, CEO of ClientEarth said: “This is little more than a shabby rewrite of the previous draft plans [published in May] and is underwhelming and lacking in urgency. Having promised to make air quality a top priority, Gove appears to have fallen at the first hurdle.” However, James Thornton, the chief executive of ClientEarth, said: “This is little more than a shabby rewrite of the previous draft plans [published in May] and is underwhelming and lacking in urgency. Having promised to make air quality a top priority, Gove appears to have fallen at the first hurdle.”
The government is legally bound to tackle the air pollution crisis in “the shortest time possible”, but Thornton said: “This plan is, yet again, a plan for more plans. The 2040 diesel and petrol ban, while important, is a diversionary tactic and doesn’t deal with the public health emergency caused by illegally polluted air, now.”The government is legally bound to tackle the air pollution crisis in “the shortest time possible”, but Thornton said: “This plan is, yet again, a plan for more plans. The 2040 diesel and petrol ban, while important, is a diversionary tactic and doesn’t deal with the public health emergency caused by illegally polluted air, now.”
Other critics accused Gove of “kicking the can down the road”, with campaigners saying those dying early from the effects of pollution could not wait 23 years for a ban on new petrol and diesel cars.Other critics accused Gove of “kicking the can down the road”, with campaigners saying those dying early from the effects of pollution could not wait 23 years for a ban on new petrol and diesel cars.
The long-awaited document contains measures to encourage councils to tackle pollution hotspots and potentially a limited scrappage scheme for the most polluting older vehicles.The long-awaited document contains measures to encourage councils to tackle pollution hotspots and potentially a limited scrappage scheme for the most polluting older vehicles.
The government’s own evidence shows charging polluting vehicles for entering urban centres – so-called clean air zones (CAZ) – is the fastest solution. But the government has said it only wants taxes to be considered as a last resort, fearing a backlash against any move that punishes motorists.The government’s own evidence shows charging polluting vehicles for entering urban centres – so-called clean air zones (CAZ) – is the fastest solution. But the government has said it only wants taxes to be considered as a last resort, fearing a backlash against any move that punishes motorists.
It says councils should exhaust other options before opting to impose charging, and restrictions should be time-limited and lifted as soon as pollution is within legal limits and there is no risk of future breaches.It says councils should exhaust other options before opting to impose charging, and restrictions should be time-limited and lifted as soon as pollution is within legal limits and there is no risk of future breaches.
Under the plan, a “targeted scrappage scheme” would be considered to incentivise drivers with cash to switch from the most polluting cars to cleaner vehicles but this would be directed at those who most need support, such as those on lower incomes or those living in the immediate vicinity of a clean air zone. It also sounds a negative tone about the idea, saying previous schemes have been “poor value for the taxpayer and open to a degree of fraud”.Under the plan, a “targeted scrappage scheme” would be considered to incentivise drivers with cash to switch from the most polluting cars to cleaner vehicles but this would be directed at those who most need support, such as those on lower incomes or those living in the immediate vicinity of a clean air zone. It also sounds a negative tone about the idea, saying previous schemes have been “poor value for the taxpayer and open to a degree of fraud”.
The flagship measure is a pledge to ban new sales of conventional diesel and petrol cars by 2040, but this does not go as far as expected because hybrid car sales would still be allowed. Previously, the government had said 2050 emissions targets required “almost all new cars and vans sold to be near-zero emission at the tailpipe by 2040”.The flagship measure is a pledge to ban new sales of conventional diesel and petrol cars by 2040, but this does not go as far as expected because hybrid car sales would still be allowed. Previously, the government had said 2050 emissions targets required “almost all new cars and vans sold to be near-zero emission at the tailpipe by 2040”.
Environmental campaigners, industry and opposition politicians believe the government’s action plan falls short of dealing with a health emergency caused by illegal levels of air pollution, which kills tens of thousands of people a year from related health conditions.Environmental campaigners, industry and opposition politicians believe the government’s action plan falls short of dealing with a health emergency caused by illegal levels of air pollution, which kills tens of thousands of people a year from related health conditions.
Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, was one of the plan’s 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 plan’s 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”.
“Londoners suffering right now simply can’t afford to wait until 2040,” he added. His position was echoed by Mary Creagh, who chairs the House of Commons environmental audit committee, who said: “Air pollution causes 40,000 early deaths every year in the UK, but today’s plan shows the government kicking the can down the road once more.
His position was echoed by Mary Creagh, the chair of the House of Commons environmental audit committee, who said air pollution “causes 40,000 early deaths every year in the UK, but today’s plan shows the government kicking the can down the road once more”.
“This plan passes the buck to councils to deal with diesel cars, lacks detail on how the government will replace ancient diesel buses and trains now electrification has been scrapped, and is silent on who will set and enforce air pollution targets after we leave the EU.“This plan passes the buck to councils to deal with diesel cars, lacks detail on how the government will replace ancient diesel buses and trains now electrification has been scrapped, and is silent on who will set and enforce air pollution targets after we leave the EU.
“Recycled pledges to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2040 do nothing to help people living with illegally high air pollution today. My committee had no confidence the government will meet interim targets on the uptake of cleaner cars.”“Recycled pledges to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2040 do nothing to help people living with illegally high air pollution today. My committee had no confidence the government will meet interim targets on the uptake of cleaner cars.”
The Institute of the Motor Industry also raised concerns that the scrappage scheme encouraging car owners to trade in their older diesel vehicles would cover only those sold before 2006. The Institute of the Motor Industry raised concerns that the scrappage scheme encouraging car owners to trade in their older diesel vehicles would cover only those sold before 2006.
Steve Nash, the chief executive of the group, said it seemed the “scrappage scheme was likely to be something of a token gesture”. Steve Nash, its chief executive, said it seemed the “scrappage scheme was likely to be something of a token gesture”.
Mike Cherry, the chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, also criticised the plan, saying it was “light on the detail and still leaves many small businesses in the dark, particularly regarding any potential diesel scrappage scheme”. Mike Cherry, the chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said the plan was “light on the detail and still leaves many small businesses in the dark, particularly regarding any potential diesel scrappage scheme”.
Friends of the Earth, the green charity, said it was a cynical move for the government to grab headlines with the eyecatching promise to ban new diesel cars in future, when there was 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 eyecatching promise to ban new diesel cars in future, when there was little in the plan to deal with immediate problems.
The plan was also branded a gimmick by Areeba Hamid, a clean air campaigner at Greenpeace UK. The plan was also branded a gimmick 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.
“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.” “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 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, the 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, the 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.”“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”.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.
The government was ordered to produce new proposals to tackle illegal levels of the harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide after the courts agreed with environmental campaigners that a previous set of plans were insufficient to meet EU pollution limits.The government was ordered to produce new proposals to tackle illegal levels of the harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide after the courts agreed with environmental campaigners that a previous set of plans were insufficient to meet EU pollution limits.
Despite government efforts to delay publication of the plans until after the general election, ministers were forced to set out the draft plans in May, with the final measures due by 31 July.Despite government efforts to delay publication of the plans until after the general election, ministers were forced to set out the draft plans in May, with the final measures due by 31 July.