Environmental law firm, ClientEarth has sent a warning to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) urging the agency to improve their plans on cutting down air pollution to legal levels faster than their current plan.
As reported by BBC, ClientEarth urged Defra to better their arrangements in making sure to lessen air pollution. They warned that they make take the issue to the higher court if it fails to adjust their plans in order for it to meet the legal levels.
The law firm previously won against the government in April when the court ruled that efforts must be taken after UK broke rules on EU limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). They were ordered to submit a plan on how they will address the issue of air pollution. The Air Quality Strategy was released last year.
The plan covers buses, taxis, and other vehicles, excluding private cars. It is aimed at having clean airzones in 2020 in 5 cities. The government stated that legal levels are expected to be reached in 2025. However, ClientEarth argued that the plan should include private cars as they are one of the major contributors to air pollution, and demanded to shorten the time span as well.
According to Mail Online, the letter was sent to Environment Secretary Liz Truss and gave the agency 10 days to give its response. The warning was issued after recent reports from Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health revealed that roughly 40,000 people die in UK due to air pollution.
Furthermore, a spokesperson for Defra stated that their plans will reduce pollution in urban areas. "Our plans clearly set out how we will improve the UK's air quality through a new programme of Clean Air Zones, which alongside national action and continued investment in clean technologies will create cleaner, healthier air for all", they claimed as reported by Business Green.
Green Party London Assembly member Jenny Jones also encouraged London Mayor Boris Johnson to join in on the law firm's efforts. It is yet to be seen in the coming days whether the case between the government and ClientEarth will be pushed through.
