Holding Our Breath: Air pollution, Clean Air Zones and the role of business

Businesses gathered online on 24 November and heard from ClientEarth and other experts from industry and government, in the hope of understanding planned and future measures to address air pollution and the role of business in ensuring everyone in the UK enjoys the right to breathe clean air.

Why is clean air important?

Clean air is essential for a healthy life. Air pollution is linked to the equivalent of 40,000 early deaths each year in the UK and it negatively affects the lives of many more.  

CBI Economics recently published a report which found that cutting pollution to meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines could prevent 17,000 early deaths a year of working age people, and benefit the UK economy by £1.6 billion every year through reductions in early deaths, sickness absence and lower productivity.

Government responsibility 

Illegal levels of air pollution across the UK have forced ClientEarth to take the UK government to court three times, but healthy air is still a luxury in many parts of the UK.  

According to the latest data, 3 out of 4 zones reporting on air quality still have illegally high air pollution. 

The role of business

There are many businesses out there already taking action to make their operations cleaner for the good of their employees, customers and the wider community. The evidence from government and local authorities show that Clean Air Zones are essential to address illegal levels of air pollution. However the lack of clarity from government – particularly regarding when and where Clean Air Zones will be delivered – makes planning for businesses with fleets of vehicles extremely difficult.

As a convener of the Clean Air Business Forum, ClientEarth works with a range of progressive businesses to ask that government puts in place measures to improve the availability, affordability and practicality of cleaner forms of transport. But we also know that regulatory certainty is essential if companies are to invest with confidence in the vehicles that will be part of a zero emission transport system. 

Holding Our Breath took place online on 24 November

The opening address at Holding Our Breath: Air pollution, Clean Air Zones and the role of business was delivered by ClientEarth’s Founding CEO, James Thornton. He outlined how ClientEarth uses the law as a tool to ensure governments deliver on their legal obligations so that people’s right to breathe clean air becomes a reality.

Here is an overview of what you can expect to see addressed, by watching the whole event ON DEMAND

Session 1 – Keynote addresses, featuring James Thornton, Founding CEO, ClientEarth

• ClientEarth and the right to breathe clean air in the UK

Session 2 – Local Authority Plans, Clean Air Zones and the transition to cleaner forms of transport – Katherine Nield, UK Clean Air Lawyer 

• The importance of Clean Air Zones for people’s health
• What is legally required of local authorities and national government  

Session 3 –  Local Authority Perspective

• The benefits of a CAZ for our local area
• How was the CAZ decided and communicated
• What is needed from national government 

Session 4 – Company Case Study: Sarah Bell, Public Affairs Manager. UPS UK, Ireland & Nordics

• Planning for Clean Air Zones 
• What more is needed from government

Session 5 – Beyond Clean Air Zones - Dominic Phinn, Business Engagement Coordinator, Clean Air, ClientEarth

• Green Recovery as the route to clean air and a resilient, thriving and inclusive post-pandemic economy
• The importance of the Environment Bill in delivering certainty and clean air

Interactive Q&A

If you are a business fleet, transport, policy or government affairs professional, we hope you will be able to join us for: Holding Our Breath: Air pollution, Clean Air Zones and the role of business. Places are FREE, we’re online - making it safe for you to be with us – and most importantly, we want to hear what you think and what your business will do in the battle for cleaner air in the UK. 

We have appointed GREENFLEET, to deliver an interactive gathering of fleet, transport, policy and government affairs professionals, through their event platform, GF365.