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ARCHIVE: Air Quality Strategy

air quality strategy 2007The UK Government and the devolved administrations published the latest Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, 17 July 2007 (Cmd  paper No  7169). 

The strategy:

  • sets out a way forward for work and planning on air quality issues
  • sets out the air quality standards and objectives to be achieved
  • introduces a new policy framework for tackling fine particles
  • identifies potential new national policy measures which modelling indicates could give further health benefits and move closer towards meeting the Strategy’s objectives.

Linking air quality and climate change policies

On 3 March 2010, Defra and the devolved administrations published the document Air Pollution: Action in a Changing Climate (PDF 3.7 MB - Please note this is a large file), which highlights the additional health benefits that can be achieved through closer integration of air quality and climate change policies in future. 

This ‘forward look’ document doesn’t replace the current air quality strategy but accounts for the rapid development of climate change policy since the strategy was published in 2007.  In particular, the publication includes the following key messages:

  • Air pollution often originates from the same activities that contribute to climate change (notably transport and electricity generation) so it makes sense to consider how the linkages between air quality and climate change policy areas can be managed to best effect.
  • The UK’s commitment to build a Low Carbon Economy by 2050 will reduce air pollution but the choices made to get there will affect the extent of air quality improvements.  Optimizing climate policy decisions to account for air pollution could yield additional benefits of approximately £24 billion by 2050. 
  • Air quality/climate change co-benefits can be realised through actions such as promoting low-carbon vehicles and renewable sources of energy that do not involve combustion.  At the same time, actions that tackle climate change but damage air quality must be avoided.
  • Action will be needed at international, EU, national, regional and local levels to ensure air quality and climate change policies are integrated to maximise the co-benefits of tackling both air pollution and climate change together and ensure ambitious but realistic air quality targets are set for the future.

Defra is now considering how to take forward the key messages from this document, which will help to shape the direction of the next air quality strategy.

Further information

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Page last modified: 3 March 2010