Interventions to improve air quality and public health published by the UK Government

Today the UK government has published a 'Review of interventions to improve outdoor air quality and public health.' An IOM led consortium was commissioned to carry out four rapid evidence assessments of planning, transport, agriculture, and behavioural Interventions aiming to improve ambient air quality.

Sotiris Vardoulakis, IOM, Research Director says "Our reviews are the first in recent decades to cover most relevant sources, pollutants and evidence specialisms, and support the development of UK air quality policy. In the past reviews were limited either by pollutant or source, this comprehensive evidence base further informs the recently published national Clean Air Strategy 2019."

The Public Health England report published today provides evidence-based advice focused on actions available to local authorities and national actions required to support them, on the most effective practical actions to reduce air pollution and its impact on health.

The Clean Air Strategy, which was published in January 2019, sets out plans to meet ambitious legally-binding international targets to reduce emissions of the 5 most damaging air pollutants by 2020 and 2030. It will be followed imminently by a wider Environment Bill.

"In amongst the complex wealth of evidence outlined in the report, there remains a simple truth, that the evidence and technology are available to make delivery of cleaner air feasible for all of us. A key challenge to this is the commonly-held view that actions to reduce air pollution run counter to economic growth and development. In my view, the evidence presented in this report highlights that this is not the case."
Professor Paul Cosford, Director of Health Protection and Medical Director, Public Health England.

Click here to read the review