Clean air: Campaigners criticise pace of new particles targets

Image source, PA Media

The pace of the UK government's plans to set cleaner air targets has been criticized.

Tough standards for harmful PM 2.5 particles will not be in force until 2040.

Health advocates say it's too late, but the government says it's the earliest realistic date given the number of sources of pollution.

The World Health Organisation says tougher standards are needed immediately.

It says particulates can cause a number of health problems, including heart attacks and strokes, asthma attacks, lung cancer, and stunt the lung-growth of children.

Road transport, manufacturing, construction and the use of solvent are some of the sources of PM 2.5 particles.

The environmental law charity ClientEarth called on ministers to seriously reconsider their plans.

She said another generation of children will be exposed to toxic pollution far above what the world's top scientists think is acceptable.

The targets to cut PM 2.5 will reduce exposure to the most harmful air quality across the country and in locations where levels are highest, with a 50% cut in acceptable levels.

That goes well above and beyond previous EU targets.

The target for nature recovery, which forms part of a consultation on details in the Environment Act, has been criticized.

A 10% increase in species diversity is promised by the government.

Richard Benwell of Wildlife Link said that it was great that the government wanted to arrest the decline. We could end up no better off than we are right now.

There are no targets to ensure the quality of legally protected areas and there are targets for pollution from farmers and water companies.

The species target showed a lack of ambition from the government in keeping common species common and protecting the spaces that wildlife depends on.

We need a plan for restoring nature within a generation, but these proposals are an alarming sign that decision-makers feel what we see today in our nature-depleted country is good enough.

George Eustice said the targets were intended to set a clear plan for nature's recovery.

In a post-EU era, we have the freedom to move towards a system that focuses on nature's recovery as well as its preservation, and which places more emphasis on science and less emphasis on legal process.

The government is under scrutiny for its climate change policies.

The Infrastructure Commission said it needs to move quickly to insulate buildings, supply electric vehicle charge points and improve local public transport.