The Air We Breathe

Air quality concerns medics across the world. 'The Fight for Clean Air' (a recent article in the National Geographic magazine) claims that air pollution annually causes 7 million premature deaths. It is also, of course, a cause of ill-health. Jocelyn Cockburn and Guy Mitchell deal with a local, but instructive, UK case (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/26/human-cost-air-pollution-ella-adoo-kissi-debrah-coroner-environment-bill). Cockburn and Mitchell reiterate that air pollution (mainly from road traffic) causes 10,000s of premature deaths in the UK every year. They clearly hoped the death of 9-year old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah (and her mother's campaign), might force changes. Ella lived near busy roads in Central London and died of severe asthma. She was the first fatality, however, to have air pollution listed as a cause on her death certificate by the coroner (Phillip Barlow). The coroner has now issued a report, firstly emphasising his concern about the lack of public awareness of the risks associated with air pollution. He was also struck by the fact that the UK national target for particulates (PM2.5), is 2.5 times higher than that recommended by the World Health Organisation. An Environment Bill is currently being considered by the UK Parliament. It was assumed the discrepancy for particulates would be urgently rectified in this bill. In fact, there will be no changes of targets before the end of 2022. There might be alterations to the annual level of particulates but no limit will be imposed on hourly rates (rush hour?). Even worse, the Secretary of State will be given wide powers to revoke or lower the targets. Thus seems to be the power of the transport lobby. The National Geographic article also repeats the observation that air pollution exacerbates the lethal impact of Covid-19 infections. Although air quality actually damages human health to a greater extent than the virus, the contrast in political responses to these two threats is striking. It's easier to attack a virus than to irritate motorists?