BUILDING DYNAMIC SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
+44 (0) 330 053 6774
  • Home
  • About
    • Management Team
    • Suppliers And Partners
    • Join Our Team
  • Planning
    • Energy Strategy Report
    • Daylight and Sunlight Assessment
    • Rights of Light 
    • Acoustic Plant & Noise Impact Assessment
    • Ecology and Arboricultural
    • Hydrology And Flood Risk Assessment Report
    • Air Quality Assessment
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
    • Transport Planning and Travel Planning
    • Overheating Assessment
  • Consulting
    • Air Quality Consulting
      • Indoor Air Quality Assessment
      • Air Quality Monitoring
      • Odour Assessment
      • Air Quality Assessment
      • Bioaerosol Assessment
      • Dispersion Modelling
      • Environmental Permit Applications
    • M&E Engineering Design
      • Mechanical Design Consultancy
      • Electrical Design Consultancy
      • Architectural Acoustics
      • M&E Clerk of Works
    • Security Design & Consultancy
    • Sustainability Assessment
      • BREEAM Assessment
      • CIBSE TM65 Assessment & Consultancy
      • Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment (CSH)
      • SKA Assessment
      • LEED assessment
      • Well Building Assessment
      • Circular Economy
      • Passivhaus Design Consultancy
      • Whole Life Cycle Carbon Assessment
    • Building Simulation Modelling
      • Daylight and Sunlight Assessment
      • Glint and Glare Assessment
      • Lux Plan
      • CFD & Thermal Modelling
      • Building Information Modelling (BIM)
      • Micro-Climate Analysis
      • Hygrothermal Assessment
      • Lighting Impact Assessment
      • Overheating Assessment
    • Energy Consultancy
      • Energy Monitoring
      • Commercial Energy Audit (MEES compliant)
      • Net Zero Carbon Consultancy
    • Environmental Consultancy
      • Construction Site Waste Management Plan
      • Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) Plan And Testing
    • Civils & Infrastructure
      • SUDs Design and Drainage Strategy
      • Flood Risk Assessment
      • Below Ground Drainage Design
      • Transport and Highway Engineering Design
      • Foul Water and Utilities Assessment
    • Building Control Testing
      • Acoustic Sound Insulation Testing
      • Air Tightness Testing
      • Thermal Imaging Survey
    • Acoustic Consultancy
      • Acoustic Plant & Noise Impact Assessment
      • Architectural Acoustics
      • Acoustic Sound Insulation Testing
      • Construction Noise and Vibration
      • Noise and Vibration at Work Assessment
    • Ecology & Arboricultural
      • Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA)
      • Ecological BREEAM Survey
      • Protected Species Survey
      • Arboricultural Services
      • Landscape Services
      • Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
      • Ecology Clerk of Works
      • Urban Greening Factor (UGF)
  • Certification
    • SAP & SBEM Part L Calculation
    • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
    • Display Energy Certificate (DEC)
    • TM44 Air Conditioning Inspection (ACI)
    • Water Part G Compliance Report
    • Legionella & Water Hygiene Risk Assessment
  • Projects
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Industrial
    • Leisure
    • Hospitality
    • Major Developments
    • Public Building & Spaces
    • Commercial and Offices
    • Retail
    • Residential
    • Mixed Use
  • Media Centre
    • Seminars
    • What policies will power post Brexit Britain
    • Videos & Downloads
    • News & Press
    • Blog
    • Awards & Accreditations
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Management Team
    • Suppliers And Partners
    • Join Our Team
  • Planning
    • Energy Strategy Report
    • Daylight and Sunlight Assessment
    • Rights of Light 
    • Acoustic Plant & Noise Impact Assessment
    • Ecology and Arboricultural
    • Hydrology And Flood Risk Assessment Report
    • Air Quality Assessment
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
    • Transport Planning and Travel Planning
    • Overheating Assessment
  • Consulting
    • Air Quality Consulting
      • Indoor Air Quality Assessment
      • Air Quality Monitoring
      • Odour Assessment
      • Air Quality Assessment
      • Bioaerosol Assessment
      • Dispersion Modelling
      • Environmental Permit Applications
    • M&E Engineering Design
      • Mechanical Design Consultancy
      • Electrical Design Consultancy
      • Architectural Acoustics
      • M&E Clerk of Works
    • Security Design & Consultancy
    • Sustainability Assessment
      • BREEAM Assessment
      • CIBSE TM65 Assessment & Consultancy
      • Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment (CSH)
      • SKA Assessment
      • LEED assessment
      • Well Building Assessment
      • Circular Economy
      • Passivhaus Design Consultancy
      • Whole Life Cycle Carbon Assessment
    • Building Simulation Modelling
      • Daylight and Sunlight Assessment
      • Glint and Glare Assessment
      • Lux Plan
      • CFD & Thermal Modelling
      • Building Information Modelling (BIM)
      • Micro-Climate Analysis
      • Hygrothermal Assessment
      • Lighting Impact Assessment
      • Overheating Assessment
    • Energy Consultancy
      • Energy Monitoring
      • Commercial Energy Audit (MEES compliant)
      • Net Zero Carbon Consultancy
    • Environmental Consultancy
      • Construction Site Waste Management Plan
      • Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) Plan And Testing
    • Civils & Infrastructure
      • SUDs Design and Drainage Strategy
      • Flood Risk Assessment
      • Below Ground Drainage Design
      • Transport and Highway Engineering Design
      • Foul Water and Utilities Assessment
    • Building Control Testing
      • Acoustic Sound Insulation Testing
      • Air Tightness Testing
      • Thermal Imaging Survey
    • Acoustic Consultancy
      • Acoustic Plant & Noise Impact Assessment
      • Architectural Acoustics
      • Acoustic Sound Insulation Testing
      • Construction Noise and Vibration
      • Noise and Vibration at Work Assessment
    • Ecology & Arboricultural
      • Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA)
      • Ecological BREEAM Survey
      • Protected Species Survey
      • Arboricultural Services
      • Landscape Services
      • Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
      • Ecology Clerk of Works
      • Urban Greening Factor (UGF)
  • Certification
    • SAP & SBEM Part L Calculation
    • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
    • Display Energy Certificate (DEC)
    • TM44 Air Conditioning Inspection (ACI)
    • Water Part G Compliance Report
    • Legionella & Water Hygiene Risk Assessment
  • Projects
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Industrial
    • Leisure
    • Hospitality
    • Major Developments
    • Public Building & Spaces
    • Commercial and Offices
    • Retail
    • Residential
    • Mixed Use
  • Media Centre
    • Seminars
    • What policies will power post Brexit Britain
    • Videos & Downloads
    • News & Press
    • Blog
    • Awards & Accreditations
  • Contact

UK taken to Europe’s highest court over air pollution

You are here: 

Home » UK taken to Europe’s highest court over air pollution

The UK is one of six countries being taken to Europe’s highest court for failing to tackle illegal levels of air pollution.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has the power to impose multimillion euro fines if the problem is not addressed promptly by the UK, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Romania, all of whom received a final warning by the European Commission in January this year.

Air pollution causes  more than 400,000 early deaths across Europe each year, with an estimated 23,500 caused by pollution from nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the UK alone. The problem was declared a public health emergency by a cross-party committee of MPs in 2016.

Levels of nitrogen dioxide, mostly produced by diesel vehicles, have been illegally high in most urban areas in the UK since 2010. The Government’s latest plan in 2017 was condemned as ‘inexcusable’ by doctors.

Ministers were forced by UK courts to improve the plan in February, after suffering a third loss in the high court to environmental lawyers ClientEarth, and have until the end of the year to implement the stricter measures.

“We have waited a long time and we cannot possibly wait any longer,” said Karmenu Vella, European commissioner for environment. “We have said that this commission is one that protects. Our decision follows through on that claim. It is my conviction that this decision will lead to improvements for citizens on a much quicker timescale.”

The six member states had failed to deliver “credible, effective and timely measures to reduce pollution as soon as possible, as required under EU law”, a statement from the commission said. The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain, however, have escaped the new court action as they have delivered sufficient new measures after being given the same final warning in January.

ClientEarth CEO, James Thornton, said: “On top of our three successful cases, this legal action from the European commission is more damning evidence of the mountain the UK Government still has to climb to bring air pollution to within legal limits.”

The World Health Organisation’s director of public health, Dr Maria Neira, said new urgency was need to tackle air pollution: “While air pollution knows no borders and puts everyone at risk, those most vulnerable – pregnant women, children, the elderly, those already ill or poor– are particularly affected.”

In the UK, Greenpeace’s Rosie Rogers said: “Ministers’ apathy on this issue so far has been nothing short of a dereliction of duty. [Environment secretary] Michael Gove should swiftly come up with a clear plan to tackle the diesel vehicles responsible for most roadside toxic pollution and an outright ban on the sale of petrol, diesel cars and vans from 2030.”

A spokesman for the UK environment department said: “We continue to meet EU air quality limits for all pollutants apart from NO2, and data shows we are improving thanks to our efforts to bring levels of NO2 down. We will shortly build on our £3.5bn plan to tackle roadside emissions with a comprehensive clean air strategy.”

The Government’s own research shows clean air zones (CAZs), in which cars are deterred from city centres by pollution charges, are an effective way to reduce air pollution but ministers have refused to make them compulsory – they remain a voluntary and last-resort option for local authorities.

The ECJ will now hold a hearing within the next few months and if it declares the UK in breach of its legal duty, the government will have a fixed timeframe in which to resolve the situation or face a huge fine.

It’s unclear how Brexit will impact the situation as the time limit under which the UK will be bound by European court decisions has yet to be determined.

Share this:

  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X

Related

Categories
Archives

Our Newsletter

Watch Our Video

Previous London set to be greenest city in the world Next Building Project: Colosseum Suite, Nirvana Spa

Company No: 06408056
VAT No: 980016044
Sitemap
Privacy

Sign up for Quarterly Newsletter

Please click here to recieve our quarterly newsletters

© Syntegra Consulting Ltd.

syntegra twitter
syntegra linked-in
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPTREJECTRead More
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT