Air pollution and air quality update
Published on 30th Oct 2018
Defra has published a supplement to its 2017 air quality plan which looks at tackling nitrogen dioxide pollution and requires those local authorities across England with levels in excess of government limits to undertake measures to become compliant by 2021.
The measures are part of the government's plans to address issues raised by Client Earth's successful judicial challenges in recent years. Defra will work alongside the local authorities to ensure the measures are implemented.
Plan B and Friends of the Earth (two other NGOs) are set to challenge the government over expansion plans at Heathrow in a full hearing next March. The NGOs claim that the government's proposal is in contravention of the UK's commitments to reducing greenhouse gasses under both international agreements and domestic legislation. In addition, they are also looking to quash the government's expansion policy statement incorporating the policy framework which, it is argued, was based on environmental assessments that did not take into consideration climate change legislation.
