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How to tackle air pollution

  • by JW

We have been told we need to do something about our air pollution: Failing to protect us from air pollution

.So the government is making promises: Queen’s Speech confirms legally binding targets for air pollution | Air Quality News and Government introduces ground-breaking Environment Bill | gov.uk

.Whilst some are unimpressed… Environment protection bill targets lack ambition | Financial Times

.… others don’t really see it as a ‘pandemic’ as such – or at least, that the current air pollution is being misconstrued:

The main challenges to air pollution at the moment come not from nasty capitalists intent on poisoning the rest of us for their own financial campaign – as is often made out – but from over-hasty and ill-thought-out measures to reduce carbon emissions. The Blair governments, backed by the EU, encouraged a huge switch from petrol to diesel cars in the 2000s – in spite of diesels emitting much higher levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate pollution. One of the significant contributors to particulate pollution now is from burning wood – both in power stations and in domestic boilers and stoves. Both activities, perversely, have been and still are encouraged through financial incentives.

In other words, things are much more complicated and need a more nuanced approach: Solutions to air pollution: how to improve air quality? | Solar Impulse and 25 solutions to Air Pollution | Climate Tracker

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