Court orders UK to take urgent action to reduce air pollution

[Duppers]

Air pollution levels have to fall as soon as possible

The UK government must clean up Britain’s air as soon as possible. Its current plan fails to comply with the relevant laws, the High Court in London ruled today.
....

The case concerns levels of nitrogen dioxide, an invisible gas produced mainly by road traffic. High levels of nitrogen dioxide shorten lives, by increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and respiratory disorders.

A 1999 European Union directive set legal limits for nitrogen dioxide levels, which came into force in 2010. Six years later, these limits are still being exceeded in many places across Europe. Europe’s cities have some of the highest NO2 levels in the world, because diesel cars produce a lot of NO2 and in Europe a much higher proportion of cars run on diesel than elsewhere.

... the UK government’s action plan consisted of clean air zones in just five cities, which would not get pollution below legal limits before 2020 in most areas – and even later in London.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2111117-court-orders-uk-to-take-urgent-action-to-reduce-air-pollution/