CAMPAIGNERS will challenge the British Government at the Supreme Court on Thursday over persistent breaches of European air pollution legislation. (1)
The court case follows allegations that the UK has broken European laws which aim to reduce key air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (pm).
In the UK air pollution causes 29,000 deaths and contributes to over 200,000 premature deaths per year. In the South East of England the problem of air pollution affects both city dwellers and the thousands of people who commute into London.
Smog warnings this week
The court case comes after the South East saw spikes in bad air this week. On Tuesday (2) air pollution levels in the region were recorded as ‘high’. Met Office advice (3) states that older people, those with heart and lung problems and those with sore throats or coughs should reduce their physical exertion when air quality is at the levels seen this week.
Keith Taylor, MEP for the South East, said:
“This court case, combined with the high levels of pollution we’ve seen this week highlights the urgent need for the British Government to accept that air pollution is second only to smoking in its health impacts and take action to reduce the levels of pollution in the air that we are forced to breathe.”
Mr Taylor went on to say that the EU’s air pollution laws should be strengthened:
“With children and the elderly being hit hardest by poor air quality, and the levels of some noxious pollutants on the rise, we badly need to see strong legislation from the European Union in 2013.”