17 May 2018<\/p>\n
Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has welcomed news today that the UK has been referred to the European Court of Justice for failing to tackle illegal levels of air pollution. The case highlights why the UK critically needs a strong independent environmental watchdog, with the legal teeth to hold the Government to account.<\/p>\n
Jean Lambert MEP said:<\/strong><\/p>\n “It\u2019s extremely worrying that the EU needs to take legal action to force the UK Government to uphold its own legal obligations on NO2 air pollution. After Brexit, this is exactly the sort of legal oversight the Tories hope to escape. [1]<\/em><\/p>\n The Government\u2019s own defence \u2013 that withholding its clean air plans is in the \u2018strong public interest\u2019 \u2013 is nothing short of farcical. [2] If ministers truly cared about the public interest, they would stop dragging their feet and do everything in their power to clean up the UK\u2019s dirty air.<\/em><\/p>\n This apathy has led to a public health emergency in my constituency, London. Already this year, Brixton Road has exceeded the EU\u2019s average hourly legal limits for NO2 pollution 65 times. Putney High Street has exceeded them 22 times, and spots in Westminster and the City of London aren\u2019t far behind. [3] The Mayor’s decision to push ahead with the new \u00a31bn Silvertown tunnel will simply exacerbate this problem – bringing new roads, new traffic and a new air pollution crisis to the local area. [4]<\/em><\/p>\n Hopefully this court case will act as a wake-up call to the Government, and to anyone who cares about the quality of the air they breathe. It highlights why we can’t allow the Tories to leave the EU without creating a strong independent environmental watchdog, with the legal teeth to hold it to account \u2013 in fact, it would be a good move in any case. If not, we can be sure they will continue to recklessly flout their environmental and public health responsibilities for many years to come.”<\/em><\/p>\n Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1]\u00a0https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2018\/may\/17\/uk-taken-to-europes-highest-court-over-air-pollution<\/a><\/p>\n [2]\u00a0http:\/\/eeb.org\/national-air-pollution-plans-too-little-too-late-to-avoid-court\/<\/a><\/p>\n