Jack Pease's Air Quality Blog #1

Air Quality Consultants (AQC) is delighted to share some typically insightful thoughts from our friend Jack Pease, the former editor of Air Quality Bulletin. AQC was missing Jack’s commentary on air quality issues, and we hope that others will enjoy what he has to say.  

AQC supports the Clean Cities Campaign by quantifying the impact of low- and zero-emission zones in Europe

There are around 320 Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in place in Europe, with more than 500 expected by 2025.  Zero exhaust Emission Zones (ZEZs) have also started to be introduced, with 35 currently planned. 

AQC Updates its Analysis of NOx and NO2 Trends

AQC has updated its analysis of long-term NOx and NO2 trends across the UK, which now runs to the end of April 2022.

IEMA publishes updated guidance on assessing greenhouse gas emissions and evaluating their significance.

The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment recently published updated guidance on the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions for EIA. AQC reviews what has changed, and what this means for EIA developments.

AQC updates its analysis of NOx and NO2 trends, including through the COVID pandemic

Analysis of trends in NOx and NO2 at 219 monitoring sites across the UK, over six years to December 2021, showing the effects of COVID lockdowns in the context of long-term patterns.

AQC helps to define Decision-Making Thresholds for air pollution impacts on designated nature conservation sites

AQC has helped to define Decision-Making Thresholds for air pollution impacts on designated nature conservation sites on behalf of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).  AQC worked alongside DTA Ecology and Ecological Planning and Research (EPR) to define Decision-Making Thresholds and Site-Relevant Thresholds.  

AQC Staff Help Prepare Two New AQEG Reports

Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) published two new reports today (20/12/21):

Exhaust Emissions from Road Transport; and Ozone in the UK – Recent Trends and Future Projections.

AQC’s Ben Marner was part of the team which prepared both reports.

AQC Staff Continue to Support AQEG

Following a review of membership of the UK Government’s Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG), AQC’s Ben Marner has been reappointed as a member.  AQEG provides the most authoritative voice on the science of air quality in the UK, advising Central Government on key and emerging issues.   Several AQC staff have been involved with AQEG since its formation in 2002.  Ben looks forward to continuing to support the UK Government at what is an interesting and important time for shaping future UK air quality.

Air Pollution and Inequality in London

Air Quality Consultants has undertaken an analysis of the links between air pollution, deprivation and ethnicity in London, for the Greater London Authority. It confirms that areas where non-white people are more likely to live or which have more deprived communities are more likely to have worse air quality, although significant improvements have been made in recent years.

New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a revised set of guidelines for PM_2.5, PM₁₀, ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO)

AQC Contributes to Seminal Research on Non-Exhaust Emissions from Road Traffic

Electric vehicles are often seen as a ‘silver bullet’ to the problem of air pollution.  While it is true that a move to electric and other alternatively fuelled vehicles will cause large and welcome improvements in roadside nitrogen dioxide, the evidence for reductions in particulate matter (PM) concentrations is less compelling. 

The Potential Wider Environmental Effects of Industrial Decarbonisation

In March 2021, BEIS published the UK Government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy which sets out targets and actions to reduce industrial emissions to net zero by 2050. AQC has explored the challenges of industrial decarbonisation, the technologies coming forward, the potential for air quality and climate change trade-offs, and other cross media effects associated with the introduction of these technologies.