Clean air and the Environment Bill

The document advocates for the UK government to commit to World Health Organization guideline levels for particulate matter by 2030 and establish a 'clean air duty' for all public bodies. It proposes a national Healthy Air Plan and the creation of a centralized, transparent monitoring network to better protect vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Additionally, it calls for the statutory enshrining of the right to breathe clean air in domestic law following the UK's exit from the EU, alongside urgent policies such as a national network of Clean Air Zones and restrictions on domestic solid fuel burning.

• The UK government should establish a legally binding commitment to reach World Health Organization (WHO) guideline levels for particulate matter pollution by 2030, with a focus on reducing exposure near hospitals, care homes, schools, nurseries, and playgrounds.
• A new 'clean air duty' is proposed to mandate that all public bodies, including local authorities and entities like Highways England, incorporate air pollution considerations into all decision-making processes.
• The document calls for a national Healthy Air Plan that includes impact-assessed measures to meet pollution targets and prioritizes the protection of vulnerable groups, such as children, older people, and outdoor workers.
• Following the UK's departure from the EU, the right to breathe clean air should be given clear statutory footing in domestic law to allow the public to hold the government accountable independently of an environmental watchdog.
• To improve transparency, the government should integrate disjointed local and national monitoring regimes into a single central network and database that is accessible to the public and supports a proactive alert system.
• Immediate policy priorities to address the public health crisis include the implementation of a national network of Clean Air Zones, support for transitioning to cleaner transport, and stricter limits on domestic solid fuel burning.

APA

ClientEarth (n.d.). Clean air and the Environment Bill. https://www.clientearth.org/media/v3lh4lhx/healthy-air-campaign-clean-air-and-the-environment-bill-briefing-hac-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Clean air and the Environment Bill. n.d. https://www.clientearth.org/media/v3lh4lhx/healthy-air-campaign-clean-air-and-the-environment-bill-briefing-hac-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Clean air and the Environment Bill |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/v3lh4lhx/healthy-air-campaign-clean-air-and-the-environment-bill-briefing-hac-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearthndclean, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Clean air and the Environment Bill}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/v3lh4lhx/healthy-air-campaign-clean-air-and-the-environment-bill-briefing-hac-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }