This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/25/air-pollution-will-damage-uk-health-for-many-years-court-told
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Air pollution will damage UK health for ‘many years', court told | Air pollution will damage UK health for ‘many years', court told |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Government is being sued for third time to act quickly on illegal levels of toxic air | Government is being sued for third time to act quickly on illegal levels of toxic air |
| Damian Carrington and agencies | Damian Carrington and agencies |
| Thu 25 Jan 2018 18.27 GMT | Thu 25 Jan 2018 18.27 GMT |
| Last modified on Thu 25 Jan 2018 19.37 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| Air pollution will continue to take a heavy toll on people’s health for many years to come unless the UK government is forced once again to improve its action plan, the high court has been told. | Air pollution will continue to take a heavy toll on people’s health for many years to come unless the UK government is forced once again to improve its action plan, the high court has been told. |
| Ministers have already had two previous plans declared illegal but environmental lawyers ClientEarth argue that even the latest plan fails to cut widespread illegal levels of pollution in the “shortest possible time”, as required by EU law. | Ministers have already had two previous plans declared illegal but environmental lawyers ClientEarth argue that even the latest plan fails to cut widespread illegal levels of pollution in the “shortest possible time”, as required by EU law. |
| Nathalie Lieven QC told the court: “On [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’] own assessment there continues to be a very significant impact on human health for many years into the future.” The barrister said that pollution will not fall below legal limits until 2028 in London and 2021 in most other urban areas. | |
| The judge hearing the case on Thursday, Mr Justice Garnham, sharply criticised the government when ruling against ministers in a previous case: “The continued failure of the government to comply with directives and regulations constitutes a significant threat to public health.” The government has already spent £370,000 of taxpayers’ money in failed attempts to fight air pollution court action. | |
| Nitrogen dioxide pollution, mostly produced by diesel vehicles, has been illegally high in most urban parts of Britain since 2010. The government’s latest plan, produced in July, was condemned as “woefully inadequate” by city leaders and “inexcusable” by doctors. | Nitrogen dioxide pollution, mostly produced by diesel vehicles, has been illegally high in most urban parts of Britain since 2010. The government’s latest plan, produced in July, was condemned as “woefully inadequate” by city leaders and “inexcusable” by doctors. |
| In September, the UN’s special rapporteur on pollution said the government was “flouting” its duty to protect the lives and health of its citizens and the problem was declared a public health emergency by a cross-party committee of MPs in April 2016. | In September, the UN’s special rapporteur on pollution said the government was “flouting” its duty to protect the lives and health of its citizens and the problem was declared a public health emergency by a cross-party committee of MPs in April 2016. |
| ClientEarth argues that the latest plan backtracks on “clean air zones” in Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton. These zones would use charges to deter polluting vehicles from city centres and were mandatory in previous plans, but are now only “expected” to be implemented. ClientEarth also say it is unacceptable that the plan requires no action in 45 polluted local authorities including Leicester, Oxford, Liverpool, Cheltenham and Sunderland. | ClientEarth argues that the latest plan backtracks on “clean air zones” in Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton. These zones would use charges to deter polluting vehicles from city centres and were mandatory in previous plans, but are now only “expected” to be implemented. ClientEarth also say it is unacceptable that the plan requires no action in 45 polluted local authorities including Leicester, Oxford, Liverpool, Cheltenham and Sunderland. |
| The government’s own analysis shows charging zones to deter dirty cars are by far the most effective policy, but ministers have told councils they should only be the option of last resort. | The government’s own analysis shows charging zones to deter dirty cars are by far the most effective policy, but ministers have told councils they should only be the option of last resort. |
| However, Kassie Smith QC, representing the environment secretary Michael Gove, said the complaints about the government plans are “misconceived”, as work was being undertaken to improve air quality in England. | However, Kassie Smith QC, representing the environment secretary Michael Gove, said the complaints about the government plans are “misconceived”, as work was being undertaken to improve air quality in England. |
| She also said new measures could not be introduced in time to accelerate the government’s compliance with the legal limits. Justice Garnham’s verdict will be issued in the coming weeks. | She also said new measures could not be introduced in time to accelerate the government’s compliance with the legal limits. Justice Garnham’s verdict will be issued in the coming weeks. |
| Jenny Bates, at Friends of the Earth, said: “It’s time for the government to stop dragging its feet and commit to the urgent action needed [including] improving public transport.” | Jenny Bates, at Friends of the Earth, said: “It’s time for the government to stop dragging its feet and commit to the urgent action needed [including] improving public transport.” |
| Earlier on Thursday in parliament, Sue Hayman, Labour’s shadow environment, asked Gove: “Just how critical does the situation have to get before the government finally starts to comply with the high court rulings?” | Earlier on Thursday in parliament, Sue Hayman, Labour’s shadow environment, asked Gove: “Just how critical does the situation have to get before the government finally starts to comply with the high court rulings?” |
| The Welsh government was also being sued by ClientEarth, but it conceded at the start of the hearing that its plans were inadequate and agreed to a “consent order”, which means they will work with ClientEarth to improve the plan. | The Welsh government was also being sued by ClientEarth, but it conceded at the start of the hearing that its plans were inadequate and agreed to a “consent order”, which means they will work with ClientEarth to improve the plan. |
| Air pollution | Air pollution |
| Pollution | Pollution |
| Green politics | Green politics |
| Environmental activism | Environmental activism |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |