The European Commission is to start legal proceedings against the UK for failing to address high levels of urban air pollution.
In particular, levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an emission strongly linked to major respiratory illnesses and premature deaths, are considered "excessive" in many urban areas across the UK. In addition to aggravating existing health conditions such as Asthma, research shows air pollution causes around 29,000 premature deaths in the UK every year.
According to the EU Directive of 2008, which sets limits of air-borne pollutants, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, the UK was supposed to meet EU limits by 2010. However, at that time, the levels of nitrogen dioxide were exceeded in 40 of 43 of the UK’s Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).
While the Commission gave Member States an additional five years to comply if a NO2 emission strategy was put in place, the UK Government has now admitted that the pollution thresholds will continue to be breached in at least 16 AQMAs in 2015. In London, where the levels of pollution are the highest, the Government admits that standard will not be met until 2025.
As a result, the Commission has decided to launch a legal case against the UK; while other EU countries, including France, Sweden, Denmark and Greece have also failed to comply adequately, the UK will be the first Member State to be targeted. "Our priority is to protect public health and the environment," said European Commission spokesman Joe Hennon. "We think that's what the people of the UK would want as well."
According to Emission Analytics, a company that produces vehicle monitoring equipment, although auto manufacturers have introduced a number of engine modifications to meet NOx emission standards, real-world emissions fail to match the levels as measure in the official tests. A study co-conducted with Imperial College London, real-world Euro 5 light-duty diesels exceed the current Euro 5 standard threefold in most instances.
As the chart below shows, in a test of 10 diesel cars, all the cars in the sample failed to meet Euro standard 4 or 5 and, only three reached Euro standard 3. This is a similar situation to the increasing discrepancy between test and real-world figures for fuel economy and CO2 as reported in previous NGC posts. However, due to high levels of NOx being produced in congested traffic, the resulting gap between regulated and real-world air pollution is even more pronounced.
The Commission may have decided to act following a ruling by the UK Supreme Court brought by environmental campaigners ClientEarth. "The UK has some of the worst NO2 levels in Europe, they're a national disgrace," said Alan Andrews, the NGO’s lawyer. "London has a particular problem, in some streets it is three or four times above the legal limits."
A spokeswoman for London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "Since the mayor was elected, the number of people living in areas exceeding nitrogen dioxide limits has halved but he fully recognises the need to take further action. This includes the introduction of the world's first ultra-low emission zone in central London from 2020, tougher requirements for taxis from 2018 and a £20m fund to tackle local problem areas."
The UK Government has two months to respond to the European Commission. BBC, Emissions Analytics - See more at:
http://www.nextgreencar.com/news/6541/EU-takes-legal-action-over-UK-pollution#sthash.qHP7cG8X.dpuf
Read more at
http://www.nextgreencar.com/news/6541/EU-takes-legal-action-over-UK-pollution#ZKyrmgEGBIE6kxro.99