24 Reasons to Remain

“The complexity and extent of EU environmental law, as transposed
into domestic legislation, are such that many stakeholders are now
concerned that environmental protections and ambitions will be
diminished…. The Minister, Dr Coffey, told us that a lot of the UK’s
air pollution came from the continent. [His scientific adviser] also
emphasised that pollution originating in the UK affected the EU in
return, noting that ‘prevailing winds tend to take our pollution over to
the continent more often than not, so we are a net exporter’.”
(Source: House of Lords, Brexit: environment & climate change report, Feb 2017)
Outdoor air pollution is contributing to 40,000 early deaths a year in
the UK (Source: Royal Colleges of Physicians, Paediatrics & Child Health, Feb 2016)
More than a thousand nurseries are close to illegal air pollution
hotspots in England & Wales. (Source: Greenpeace investigation April 2017)
Sheffield Council, one of 28 authorities non-compliant with EU
quality limits for NO2 emissions, launched an air quality strategy.
“There is not a tension between cleaner air and a growing economy.
Polluted air is a major drain on Sheffield’s economy; currently costing
around £200m every year. A city with clean air, an efficient public
transport system, high levels of public travel and healthier citizens
will have a stronger, fairer economy.” (Source: Councillor Scott in Air Quality News
6 December 2017)
UK has been taken to the European Court of Justice over air
pollution. “Levels of nitrogen dioxide, mostly produced by diesel
vehicles, have been illegally high since 2010 in the vast majority of
urban areas in the UK. The government’s latest plan in 2017 was
condemned as ‘woefully inadequate’ by city leaders & ‘inexcusable’
by doctors. Ministers were forced by UK courts to improve the plan
in February, after losing in the high court for the third time to
environmental lawyers ClientEarth, and have until the end of 2018
to implement the stricter measures.” (Source: Damian Carrington, The Guardian. 17
May 2018)
Is it worth risking reducing air quality which will directly impact
on the health of British citizens?