The Clean Air Strategy 2019

The UK government published an updated Clean Air Strategy in February 2019, which set out plans for dealing with a wide range of air pollution sources, making our air healthier to breathe, protecting nature and boosting the economy. The strategy is significant for its broader focus in terms of sources and types of emissions, and on managing public exposure to emissions in addition to continuing to address them at source.

Air quality is a devolved matter. For those living in Scotland, the relevant strategy is the “Cleaner air for Scotland: the road to a healthier future”, which was published in 2015. In Wales, there is an open consultation on a Clean Air Plan for Wales. In Northern Ireland, strategy is based on the existing 2007 Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Even though these documents are older, they still represent a forward thinking approach and include ambitious targets, and support the overall direction of the Clean Air Strategy 2019 and the vision it describes for air quality across the UK as a whole.