London-based environmental law group ClientEarth has filed a lawsuit against the British government for its failure to expedite and develop measures addressing the country's air pollution problem.
ClientEarth has petitioned the Supreme Court to review the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) latest strategy to meet the European Union's target of reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions from vehicles and companies. According to The Guardian, the firm finds that the government's proposal does not go far enough to cut NO2 emissions, which is observed to have caused the death of about 25,000 people in the United Kingdom.
"As the government can't be trusted to deal with toxic air pollution, we are asking the court to intervene and make sure it is taking action," Alan Andrews of ClientEarth said about the lawsuit.
The plan in question was first presented by the British government in December, in compliance with EU regulations to curb air pollution by 2025.
"Our plans clearly set out how we will improve the UK's air quality through a new program of Clean Air Zones, which alongside national action and continued investment in clean technologies will create cleaner, healthier air for all," DEFRA said in response to the allegations, as quoted by Bloomberg.
According to Reuters, EU's Air Quality Directive provides that member states were expected to comply with nitrogen dioxide reduction in 2010, and an extension could be granted until 2015 if they presented a plan to cut large amounts of gas.
Last year's data showed that out of 43 pollution zones in the UK, five zones would be ready to comply by the end of 2015, 15 by 2020, 38 by 2025 and 40 by 2030.
However, Greater London, West Midlands and West Yorkshire would not be ready to comply even by 2030.
Areas with the highest levels of pollution are Birmingham, Leeds, Derby, Nottingham and Southampton. The "Clean Air Zones" will be implemented in these areas by 2020.
ClientEarth says the government's proposal was an "insult" to the people who are getting sick or are dying from air pollution in the country. The plan ClientEarth opined does not express a provision to pull out "worst polluting diesel vehicles" from cities and towns.
In April 2015, ClientEarth celebrated a victory in the Supreme Court against the Secretary of State for the environment Liz Truss. The high court ordered DEFRA to come up with new air quality plans that will decrease pollution to required levels in the "shortest possible time."
