The document outlines the UK government's Clean Air Strategy and commitments to improve air quality. It discusses plans to publish a final Clean Air Strategy by the end of 2018, reduce pollution from vehicles through the Road to Zero strategy, and provide funding to help local authorities address nitrogen dioxide concentrations. The strategy also aims to prohibit the most polluting domestic fuels and strengthen powers to address air pollution issues.

1. Routes to Clean Air
Clean Air Strategy
Policy context for improving air quality across the
UK: Key issues and next steps
Dr Lee Davies

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9
Bristol
London

10. 10
Edinburgh
Leeds
Nottingham
London
Inverness

11. Clean Air Strategy commitments
• Issue an HMT-Defra call for evidence on the use of red diesel in
towns and cities in non road mobile machinery
• Publish Road to Zero strategy for reducing exhaust emissions from
road vehicles, and reduce pollution from road, rail, maritime and
aviation
• Bring forward primary legislation on clean air, giving local government
powers to take decisive action
• Require and support farmers to make investments in farm
infrastructure and equipment to reduce ammonia emissions
• Legislate to prohibit the sale of the most polluting domestic fuels and
ensure only the cleanest stoves are sold by 2022
• Work with consumer groups, health organisations and industry to
identify ways to achieve improvements in indoor air quality
• Halve the number of people living in locations where concentrations
of PM2.5 are above WHO guidelines (10 µg/m3)
11

12. Latest update
• Clean Air Strategy consultation closed
August 2018 with final Strategy to be
published by end of the year
• Call for evidence on the use of red diesel
in towns and cities - May 2018; round
table held with users of red diesel
• Code of Good Agricultural Practice
(COGAP) for reducing ammonia – July
2018
• Road to Zero strategy, built around
mission of putting UK at forefront of
design and manufacturing of zero
emission vehicles, and all new cars and
vans to be effectively zero emission by
2040 – July 2018
• Call for evidence on airborne particulate
matter emissions from brakes, tyres and
road surface wear – Sept 2018
12

13. 13
Progress on Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations
• July 2017: UK Plan for Tackling
Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide
Concentrations set out steps to
bring NO2 levels within legal
limits in shortest possible time.
• £3.5 billion funding for air quality
and cleaner transport including:
o £255 million implementation
fund for delivery of local plans.
o £220 million Clean Air Fund to
help local authorities mitigate
impact on individuals and
businesses.
• JAQU working with 61 local
authorities with the most
persistent NO2 breaches.
• Supplement to Plan published 5
October 2018.

14. 14
Environmental Principles and Governance
Environmental Principles
• Used to guide and shape
domestic policy
• A new policy statement to
underpin future environmental
policy-making and legislation
Governance Body
• A new body to ensure that
environmental laws are upheld
after we leave the EU
• And to scrutinise and advise
Government on environmental
law and policy

15. Next steps:
• Digesting Clean Air Strategy consultation responses
• Publishing final Clean Air strategy by end of 2018
• Continued work to implement commitments in strategy and plan
• Legislation to secure a more coherent framework for tackling air
pollution, and strengthen local and national powers to tackle air
pollution (e.g. by compelling vehicle recalls for emissions failures)
15