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UK Government in Supreme Court over air pollution – Manchester Friends of the Earth reaction.

news release

The Supreme Court is being asked today (Thursday 16 April 2015) to order the UK Government to develop a new plan to urgently tackle illegal levels of air pollution. (1)

Commenting on the case, which is being brought by ClientEarth (2), Manchester Friends of the Earth transport campaign co-ordinator Graeme Sherriff said:

“Air pollution kills tens of thousands of people prematurely each year in the UK, and puts extra strain on our beleaguered NHS.

“The Government should be forced to come up with an urgent action plan to stop people choking on dirty air and end this national disgrace.

“It’s time to tackle the main cause of this pollution, which is too much dirty traffic, by encouraging cleaner vehicles and getting more people on to bikes, buses, trains.” (3)

In May 2013, Client Earth won a legal challenge at the Supreme Court which confirmed that the UK Government is in breach of the EU Air Quality Directive leaving the UK open to enforcement action at the national or European level.  The UK had failed to meet the 2015 air quality deadline and it was acknowledged that most urban regions and cities, including Manchester would not comply with the EU Air Quality Directive until 2020.

Greater Manchester’s own modeling work paints a similar picture of exceedences beyond 2020 in some areas. (4)   In Manchester, the Public Health England website indicates that 5.1% of all adult deaths each year are caused by particulate air pollution (PM2.5). This translates to over 1000 premature deaths each year across Greater Manchester. (5)

When the estimates for the deaths caused by Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) pollution are released it is likely that the figure for Greater Manchester will be much higher.

Manchester Friends of the Earth have been involved in a ‘citizen science’ project monitoring the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels in four areas – Rusholme, Fallowfield, Stockport (St Mary’s Way) and Bradford ward. Data  will be made available shortly. (6)

ENDS

Contacts for comments: Dr Graeme Sherriff, Manchester Friends of the Earth, sustainable transport campaign co-ordinator. Mobile: 07948 405071

Pete Abel, Manchester Friends of the Earth, Mobile: 07951 642858

Notes to editors:

1) The UK Government’s existing plans to bring UK levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) within legal limits are not expected to succeed until after 2030 – 20 years after the original 2010 deadline.

In November 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that the UK must have a plan so that the time period before legal requirements are met “is as short as possible”, and that it is the UK courts who can order the Government to produce such a plan.

2) ClientEarth will today call on the Supreme Court to order the Government to produce a new plan which will deliver urgent cuts to the illegal levels of air pollution.

3) Transport for Greater Manchester LTP3 Integrated Assessments Annexes.  “Road transport is the most significant source of pollution across Greater Manchester for both NOx and PM10, contributing 60.4% and 61.2% of total emissions in 2006 respectively. Emissions from road transport are emitted at ground level unlike the majority of emissions from industrial and combustion sources where the emission point is often from a chimney stack. Consequently, emissions form road transport have a greater direct impact on human health.”

4) See Greater Manchester Region not meeting UK Laws

5) See http://www.phoutcomes.info/public-health-outcomes-framework#gid/1000043/pat/6/ati/101/page/3/par/E12000002/are/E08000003/iid/30101/age/230/sex/4

(6) See http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/every-breathe-you-take-a-citizen-science-project/

 

7) The joint policy asks of the Healthy Air Campaign (HAC) of which Friends of the Earth is a partner are available.
8) Manchester Friends of the Earth is an award-winning environmental campaign group, raising awareness and lobbying for policy changes at a local, regional, national and international level. The group consists entirely of volunteers, and its campaigns are funded by membership fees and individual donations. Up-to-date information is available on the group’s website: www.manchesterfoe.org.uk  Manchester Friends of the Earth is a Licensed Local Group of Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

9) Manchester Friends of the Earth has endorsed Manchester: A Certain Future, an action plan for the city of Manchester to cut its carbon emissions by at least 41% by 2020. For more information, visit  www.manchesterclimate.com

 

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