UK government accused of inactivity in managing air pollution crisis

A cross-party group of MPs accused the government of not doing enough to improve air quality. There are four commitees who said that government’s behavior on cutting pollution and ist impact on public health is ineffective.

The Commons environment, food and rural affairs, environmental audit, health and social care, and transport committees wrote several recommendations to the government in a report in March. In committees’ will there’s also the ban on the sale of new conventional diesel and petrol cars starting from 2040.

The government replied to the report on Wednesday. According to the cabinet, its activities are putting the UK at the forefront of the global transformations towards clean energies.  

The government’s response didn’t stop the rising concern among MPs. According to Mary Creagh, the chair of the environmental audit committee, «We need cities where people can move and can breathe, so it is worrying that the government is dragging its feet on air quality, even in the face of legal action by the European court of justice. It is also concerning – Creagh said - that the government is not ready to demonstrate global leadership by forcing manufacturers to produce only clean vehicles before 2040». 

The chair of the transport select committee show worry too. Indeed Lilian Greenwood said: «Our report called on the government to take action to reduce our reliance on cars and increase the use of public transport. We are disappointed, therefore, that the response does not include any substantial public transport or urban planning initiatives». 

It's not the first time that the government is criticised: while other countries like India, Norway and Ireland have set much more ambitious targets to enforce clean energies, UK cabinet has not tackled the crisis with the right approach.

However air pollution is a huge problem that is killing 40,000 people a year in the UK.