Air Quality News - Issue 4 - July 2020

Issue 4

July 2020

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A new golden age of cycling?

Clean Air Zones – Postponed or cancelled

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Editorial Comment and Contacts

Welcome to Air Quality News magazine Contacts Publisher: David Harrison d.harrison@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Journalist: Pippa Neill pippa@airqualitynews.com 01625 666 396 Journalist: Jamie Hailstone jamie.hailstone@me.com 01625 614 000 Advertising Director: Andy Lees andy@airqualitynews.com 01625 666 390 Finance Manager: Jenny Leach jenny@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Administration: Jenny Odgen admin@spacehouse.co.uk 01625 614 000 Subscriptions: Andrew Harrison subscriptions@airqualitynews.com 01625 614 000 Published 4 times a year Annual Subscription - £19.95 +VAT

Air Quality News - published by Spacehouse Ltd, Pierce House, Pierce Street, Macclesfield. SK11 6EX. Tel: 01625 614 000

After almost two and a half years with the company, the time has come for me to move on from Air Quality News, and this will be my final issue as editor of the AQN magazine.

I began the role not really knowing my VOCs from my PMs, so it has been a fascinating education learning about how important air quality is in all of our lives. I have really enjoyed speaking to academics in the field, holding politicians to account, and working with charities who are doing great things to create awareness of the problems we face.

I am also proud to say that visitor numbers to the website have grown exponentially since I began here and I leave with our traffic at the highest it has ever been. In April we had almost 100,000 unique visitors to www.airqualitynews.com.

We have published some excellent investigative journalism over the past few years and have regularly punched above our weight against the likes of the BBC, The Times and The Guardian when it comes to air quality coverage. I hope you will continue to use AQN as a valuable resource in the coming years.

I have been fortunate to work with some excellent journalists and I would like to thank Jamie Hailstone, Chris Ogden and Pippa Neill, for their hard work and dedication to the cause during my stewardship.

Air pollution has hurtled up the agenda in these last few years and I am sure my successor will enjoy taking the reigns of Air Quality News. The coronavirus lockdowns have given us a vision of what life can be like when our traditional way of living is challenged - let’s not forget how it has felt as individual freedoms and decisions have been restricted. If we fail in our attempts to manage air pollution and the wider environment effectively and proportionately, this may become the “new normal” on a permanent basis.

For this next issue, we have an interview about coronavirus with Professor Alastair Lewis, chair of the Air Quality Expert Group, we explore the uncertain future of Clean Air Zones once life returns to normal, report on the challenges of cleaning air in the Kathmandu Valley and discuss the viability of council owned energy companies.

If you would like to contribute to the next magazine, or our website, please contact my colleague Pippa Neil - pippa@airqualitynews.com

Thomas Barrett, editor.

All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Printed on FSC certified paper stock, using vegetable oil inks.

Fulfilment and distribution using 100% recycled envelopes.

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Contents

Features Contents Page 6-8: News

Page 10-12: Feature

Page 6-8 News:

Page 21 Indoor: The importance of clean air inside the classroom

Page 14-16: Feature

Page 18-20: Feature

Page 21: Indoor

Page 22-23: The Big Interview

Page 24-25: Videalert Page 10-12 Feature: Is the ‘golden age of cycling’ really here to stay?

Page 22-23 The Big Interview: Professor Alastair Lewis - Chair of the Air Quality Expert Group

Page 26: Local Government Interview

Page 27-28: Local Government

Page 29: Legislation

Page 30-33: International Page 14-16 Feature: Clean Air Zones – Postponed or cancelled

Page 27-28 Local Government: Has local government’s love affair with electricity fizzled out?

Page 34: Marketplace

Page 35: Jobs

Page 18-20 Feature: The link between air pollution and biodiversity loss

Page 30-33 International: The Paradox of Air Pollution in the Kathmandu Valley

Thanks to our contributors: Shirley Rodrigues, Anita Lloyd, Professor Alistair Lewis, Tim Daniels and David Harrison

Partners

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News

in brief Air pollution is responsible for 14% of global cardiovascular events Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and death, according to a global study conducted by researchers at Oregon State University.

The researchers analysed over 150,000 adults from 21 countries and found that when factoring the range of concentrations of PM2.5 emissions across the globe, 14% of all cardiovascular events can be attributed to exposure to PM2.5 pollution.

The researchers also found that there was a 5% increase in all cardiovascular events for every 10μg/ m3 increase in concentrations of PM2.5 New initiative to help businesses keep air pollution down Charity Global Action Plan has launched a new initiative, Business for Clean Air, to encourage UK companies to tackle air pollution as their employees start to return to work.

The initiative will offer businesses free guidance on the actions they can implement now to support a green recovery and improve air quality in the long term. These include actions such as encouraging active travel, using cleaner vehicles, improving indoor air quality, and reducing emissions from industrial activity.

10 retail stores to be fitted with EV charging networks Electric vehicle (EV) charging network company Engenie has announced a new partnership with Brookhouse Group that will see EV charging networks installed at retail stores such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi and Next.

The full rollout will see a total of 17 chargers installed across ten sites.

Each charger will be powered by 100% renewable energy which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 20 thousand tonnes and prevent an estimated 16 tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NOX) from polluting the roads.

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Majority of drivers would consider buying EV after lockdown Most drivers would be willing to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) to help protect air pollution, according to a survey carried out Smart Home Charge.

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ccording to the survey, almost three quarters (72.5%) of respondents said good air quality was ‘very important’ to them with 97% saying they have noticed the positive effect that lockdown has had on local air quality.

And two thirds (68.4%) of respondents acknowledged that having too many petrol/diesel vehicles on the road is having the biggest impact on air pollution and consequently 66% said they would be willing to purchase a fully electric car to help keep air pollution levels down.

Danny Morgan, editor at Smart Home Charge, said: ‘Air quality and noise pollution have

always been quite abstract things to discuss.

‘Clearly, electric cars won’t solve the congestion problems we have, but the knock-on effect has been people are more willing

to consider a fully electric car because their priorities have changed – better air quality and less noise are both something to strive for and EVs can help with that.’

Half of global population exposed to increasing air pollution Despite global efforts to improve air quality, half of the world’s population are experiencing increased levels of air pollution, according to a team of researchers at the University of Exeter.

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he study, which was carried out in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), suggests that air pollution constitutes a major, and in many areas

increasing, threat to public health.

The researchers examined trends in global air quality between 2010 and 2016, against a backdrop of global efforts to reduce air pollution through long

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and short-term policies.

Globally, 55.3% of the world’s population were exposed to increased levels of PM2.5, between 2010 and 2016, however, the researchers found marked differences in the magnitude of trends across the world.

Professor Shaddick, chair of data science & statistics at the University of Exeter said: ‘While long-term policies to reduce air pollution have been shown to be effective in many regions, notably in Europe and the United States, there are still regions that have dangerously high levels of air pollution, some as much as five times greater than World Health Organisation guidelines, and in some countries, air pollution is still increasing.’

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Continue working from home to avoid a sudden spike in air pollution Businesses should embrace remote working to prevent a sudden spike in air pollution as lockdown is eased, according to NGO Global Action Plan and NHS Foundation Trust Guy’s and St. Thomas.

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ccording to a survey that was commissioned by the organisations on behalf of the Business Clean Air Taskforce, 87% of those currently working from home would like to continue to do so to some degree.

This would mean that postlockdown there could be 17 million regular remote workers versus just 10.8 million prelockdown, meaning that 1 in 5 commutes by car could be avoided.

Air pollution significantly decreased after lockdown

measures went into place, with notable reductions during weekday commuting hours.

According to the survey, 72% of the public believe clean air is more important, specifically

after research has shown a link between air pollution and coronavirus.

Chris Large, partner at Global Action Plan said: ‘The experiences of working from home during lockdown have unlocked a new working option for millions of employees and it has kept many businesses running.

‘If employers support greater remote working, as many as one in five car journeys driven for business purposes could be eliminated, equating to 11 billion miles saved per year.’

Challenge to keep air pollution low for Clean Air Day Charity and NGO Global Action Plan has launched a new challenge urging businesses and local authorities to keep air pollution down on what would have been Clean Air Day.

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he annual Clean Air Day event was scheduled for 18th June, however due to the coronavirus the events have been postponed until October 8.

However, in celebration of what would have been Clean Air Day, Global Action Plan has challenged companies, local authorities and individuals to keep air pollution low by keeping cars off the road for the

day, and where possible over the summer months. Data analysed by the charity has revealed that nitrogen dioxide levels for the week leading up to Clean Air Day 2020 were 18% lower than the same week in 2019.

‘During this coronavirus crisis, we have seen that breathing polluted air need not be a fact of life, and many have enjoyed the benefits of lower traffic neighbourhoods,’ said

head of Air Quality at Global Action Plan, Larissa Lockwood.

‘Air pollution over the previous days has been significantly lower than it was this time last year.

We now have an unprecedented opportunity to make clean air part of the new normal, and today we put the challenge out there for all of us to play our part to maintain these lower levels of air pollution.

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in brief in brief British public want government to end support for polluting vehicles More than half of British adults (56%) believe that money from government scrappage schemes should only be used for low-polluting or electric vehicles, according to a new poll commissioned by environmental law charity Client Earth.

The environmental lawyers have also revealed that 25 out of 39 local authorities still haven’t finalised their plans to tackle illegal air pollution in their respective regions. According to the survey, only a third of the public think these delays are justifiable, with 58% expressing support for the introduction of Clean Air Zones.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to predict air pollution spikes New AI technology will analyse CCTV cameras, weather measurements, Bluetooth and pollution sensing devices to predict traffic jams and air pollution.

The technology can then link to existing road management systems such as traffic lights and digital displays to divert and control vehicle movements.

The ‘pollution predictor’ technology which has been developed by company Now Wireless, is said to be 97% accurate and is the first technology to link real-time data to immediate and inexpensive action.

Select committee to scrutinise government approach to air pollution The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee has launched a new inquiry into air quality. The committee will look at what can be done to keep pollution to lockdown levels, and they will scrutinise the government’s 2019 Clean Air Strategy and Environment Bill. The Committee will also address the delay in the rollout of Clean Air Zones as a result of the pandemic and will look at what some towns and cities’ are planning to do to enable more people to walk and cycle as the lockdown is eased.

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News

in brief App to help cyclists, runners and pedestrians reduce air pollution intake Runners and cyclists breathe more heavily than pedestrians, meaning that even if the air quality is the same, the dose of pollution intake will differ.

To raise awareness of this, energy drinks company TENZIG have extended the reach of their Clean Air Tracker to cyclists, runners, and pedestrians.

The app syncs with GPS fitness app STRAVA and uses real-time air quality data provided by King’s College London to give users a live air quality score for their route.

New EV charging network across Greater Manchester Infrastructure support service provider Amey has been appointed

by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to expand the number of publicly owned electric vehicle (EV) charging networks across the city.

The new charging network will span 10 councils in Greater Manchester, serving 2.8 million people with 100% renewable energy for EV charging.

This partnership is part of the city region’s 2040 Transport Strategy which aims to make Greater Manchester EV friendly to support the air quality and carbon reduction targets.

Free advice to help encourage employees to cycle to work West Yorkshire Combined Authority is offering free expert advice, tailored support, and grants to help employers in the region support their staff cycling to work.

The Bike Friendly Business Scheme is aimed at encouraging more sustainable and active travel to ensure that people can return to work safely as lockdown is eased.

More than 300 organisations have already benefited from £40,000 worth of grants, and according to the combined authority, on average, the businesses that have signed up have seen a 20% increase to the number of employees travelling by bike.

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Green roadblocks to help prevent a surge in post-lockdown traffic Climate charity Possible has created new self-watering green roadblocks that can be used by councils to help prevent a surge in post-lockdown traffic.

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he charity has been working with specialist civil engineering firms and horticulture experts to turn standard concrete roadblocks into rainwater reservoirs planted with drought-tolerant species.

The blocks are designed to capture and store rainfall naturally and keep plants supplied with water for up to six weeks.

They can be used to create ‘street furniture’ to block traffic from residential areas near schools and on key shopping streets, the charity has said they hope the blocks will provide councils with a low-cost way to change road layouts to make cycling and walking safer and to reduce air pollution near busy residential areas.

‘Many of the changes needed today to keep our cities moving and our streets safe in response to the COVID crisis are the same changes we already needed to tackle the climate crisis, so the hope is that many of these temporary measures could become permanent once the pandemic has passed,’ said the charity’s innovation director, Leo Murray.

Green number plates for EVs given go ahead Green number plates for electric vehicles will be introduced across the UK from the autumn.

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ransport secretary Grant Shapps recently confirmed that as part of a green economic recovery from COVID-19, drivers will be encouraged to make the switch to electric vehicles through the introduction of green number plates.

The idea was proposed in September last year, with the aim to normalise the idea of clean vehicles on the roads.

The plates will be identifiable by a green flash on the left-

hand side, making it easier for cars to be identified as zeroemission vehicles, helping local authorities put in place new policies to incentivise people to own them.

For example, drivers could

benefit from cheaper parking and cost-free entry into zeroemission zones.

‘A green recovery is key to helping us achieve our net-zero carbon commitments while also promoting economic growth,’ said Mr Shapps.

‘Green number plates could unlock a number of incentives for drivers, and increase awareness of cleaner vehicles on our roads, showing people that a greener transport future is within our grasp.’

Two-thirds of international citizens want cleaner air, survey reveals At least two-thirds of citizens in Britain, India, Nigeria, Poland and Bulgaria have said they support stricter laws to tackle air pollution, according to a new YouGov survey conducted on behalf of the Clean Air Fund.

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he survey, which was carried out on around 1,000 citizens from each country, highlighted that at least 71% of people are concerned about air pollution as a health issue, and 76% are concerned about it as an environmental issue.

Air pollution has made millions of people vulnerable to the most severe impacts of

COVID-19 and at the same time, air quality has significantly improved as a result of actions to protect public health through lockdowns.

As a result, a majority of people said that after experiencing cleaner air during lockdown they are now in favour of stricter laws to tackle air pollution going forward.

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‘There is clear public demand for governments around the world to act on clean air and no excuse not to,’ said Clean Air Fund executive director, Jane Burston.

‘As lockdowns are eased and economies restarted, people are clear that they do not want a return to toxic air. That would simply replace one health crisis with another.’

Intelligent infrastructure for cleaner air.

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ir quality was high on most local authorities’ agendas well before COVID-19, but the impact of the pandemic has thrown into sharp relief a number of major transport issues, including air quality.

The March lockdown and Government guidance to stop all non-essential journeys, saw a dramatic reduction in the number of vehicles on our roads, with air quality levels in towns and cities immediately improving.

In London for instance, in the first six weeks of lockdown levels of PM2.5 fell by around 35%, with significant falls also being recorded in cities across the UK. Inevitably though, with lockdown restrictions easing and the public showing a reluctance to return to public transport, traffic levels are rising again and air quality levels are starting to deteriorate.

As travellers worldwide have been advised to avoid public transport unless they have no alternative, countries that lifted restrictions before the UK, such as China and Sweden , have seen traffic congestion rise higher than prelockdown levels, while many European cities, including Paris and Berlin, are seeing a rapid return to pre-lockdown levels.

Put simply, the climate and health emergency that pollutants cause has not gone away. However, we should not accept that deteriorating air quality is a foregone conclusion, and as a leading supplier of intelligent traffic systems, Siemens Mobility Limited has a key role to play in supporting towns and cities address this issue. We have a portfolio of proven products and systems that enable transport networks to be managed in a holistic fashion, with air quality the key outcome.

One of the most targeted tools in our box is our Clean Air Zone (CAZ) solution, which is proven to significantly reduce the volume of nitrogen oxides and particulates in the air. A targeted and effective approach, the system discourages the usage of older, higherpolluting vehicles in towns and cities across the UK. Our systems are already at the heart of schemes in London, with

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the capital’s low emission and congestion charging zones having proven their effectiveness for over a decade now; these systems being designed, installed and operated by Siemens Mobility.

After six months of operation of London’s new Ultra Low Emission Zone, research by the Mayor of London’s Office reported that NOx emissions from road transport in the central zone had reduced by 31% and CO2 emissions from road transport had reduced by 9,800 tonnes. On an average day 13,500 fewer higher polluting vehicles were driven in the zone.

We are now working with other cities, including Leeds and Birmingham, to deliver tailored CAZ solutions to help meet their air quality improvement targets.

CAZ solutions are undoubtedly effective, but there are a range of other systems that can be used separately or as part of an integrated solution to positively impact air quality. These range from the simple coordination and optimisation of traffic signals to minimise congestion and improve traffic flow, to the use of air quality data to drive strategic traffic management interventions and decisions.

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applications. Measuring a range of pollutants, as well as temperature and humidity, the sensor captures an accurate picture of the air quality in real time. It can be integrated with our traffic signals and Stratos traffic management system to enable authorities to make meaningful interventions and to implement traffic strategies based on air quality data and outcomes.

Contact: Tim Wray Tim.wray@siemens.com Tel: +44 7808 822443 www.siemens.co.uk/air-quality 9

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Is the ‘golden age of cycling’ really here to stay?

More and more people have turned to pedal power during the lockdown as roads emptied and air quality improved. But as lockdown measures ease, Jamie Hailstone investigates what can be done to ensure that these gains are not lost?

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here have been a few glimmers of hope during the lockdown, but the resurgence of walking and cycling has been a genuine ‘good news’ story. Whether it has been part of a household’s daily exercise, or avoiding public transport, pedal power is making a comeback, which can only be a good thing when it comes to both personal fitness and the local environment.

Even the prime minister, Boris Johnson, has suggested that post-

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lockdown Britain will see a ‘golden age of cycling’. And now councils up and down the country are looking at extra cycle lanes and widened pavements, as part of social distancing measures. But how long will this renaissance last? Will the changes we have seen over the last few months prove to be permanent, or will active travel prove to be a passing fad?

The signs during the lockdown have certainly been encouraging. In May, the Greater Manchester Combined

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Authority estimated that walking and cycling was making up a third of all local journeys, with 179,000 bike trips in a single day, up 74% on prelockdown levels.

And independent experts from Ricardo Energy and Environment concluded that Oxford city centre has seen a 59% drop in air pollution as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown.

Speaking at an online conference organised by Green Alliance last month, Greater Manchester’s commissioner for walking and cycling, and Olympic gold medallist, Chris Boardman, said the lockdown has ‘reframed everything’ when it comes to the debate around active travel, and encouraging more people to take up walking and cycling.

‘We can’t ignore the fact that the environment has changed and people like it,’ says Mr Boardman. ‘We have a huge body of evidence from the last two months, which says people will do this. On average, walking and cycling are 42% up on pre-COVID levels, when every other form of transport is between 60% and 90% down.’

Oxfordshire County Council’s cycling champion, Cllr Suzanne Bartington tells Air Quality News that she believes there has been a ‘phenomenal shift’ in the number of people taking up cycling.

‘I’ve seen a queue of bikes out on a Sunday along a local route. There were people of all ages, not just regular cyclists, out on their bikes.’

‘A lot of that has been due to reduced traffic levels and people feeling safer. But also, I think people have turned to bikes because of what it gives them in terms of exercise. You can cover more ground than if you are out for a walk and people want to explore the local area.’

Cllr Bartington adds that a recent survey of all 63 Oxfordshire county councillors found that the need to improve cycling infrastructure

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was the standout priority in terms of how Oxfordshire’s share of the government’s £250m Emergency Active Travel grant fund should be spent.

‘I was astonished with some of their responses,’ she explains. ‘Rural councillors were saying “yes, we need to have 20 mph limits” and “we need to think about pedestrian and cycle only streets”.’

But as lockdown measures ease, the question remains whether the current momentum around walking and cycling can be maintained. Mr Boardman believes ‘what happens in the next 20 days will set the agenda for the next 20 years’.

Coventry’s ‘bicycle mayor’, Adam Tranter, says politicians and policymakers are ‘really starting to take active travel seriously’.

‘I’m told that this is coming straight from Number 10 through the prime minister, and also through his transport adviser, Andrew Gilligan who was his “cycling Tsar” when he was mayor of London,’ Mr Tranter tells Air Quality News.

‘Public health experts have been advocating more cycling for many years and now these same public health experts have a seat at the top table. They are now saying this is a way to keep the nation fit, active and healthy, and it’s going to reduce the risk of people getting and really suffering from COVID-19.’

As councils start to investigate the possibility of implementing more active travel schemes, the engineering consultancy WSP has developed new user guidance for the updated Active Mode Appraisal Toolkit (AMAT) on behalf of the Department for Transport.

The guidance will help stakeholders to effectively use the AMAT to appraise schemes for programmes including local cycling and walking infrastructure plans, Transforming Cities Fund and the recently announced Emergency Active Travel Fund.

‘As we start the hard work to recover from the disruption brought by COVID-19, we must seize the parallel opportunity to leap ahead with the net zero carbon agenda,’ says WSP’s head

of UK transport, Rachel Skinner.

‘These infrastructure commitments are also a critical element in underpinning our collective efforts to fulfil the true potential of walking and cycling as one of many solutions to combat the climate emergency and air quality.’

infrastructure so that it can be efficiently and sustainably managed.

The accessibility and suitability of the schemes will also be key. Location, design, safety and materials used are all factors that will determine the effectiveness and environmental impact of the schemes, as well as the

‘The AMAT takes on board the very latest in best practice and innovation for active modes to give confidence and assurance to local authorities which are keen to invest and make fast progress in their strategic recovery plans for COVID-19.’ Yotta’s asset management consultant, Stephen Morgan says local authorities need to ensure that the active travel schemes they create ‘provide a safe inclusive environment and alternate travel option that follows existing transport network routes such as tube lines and bus routes’.

‘They will also need to consider how the schemes will be funded, maintained and kept safe for users in the long term,’ says Mr Morgan.

‘Investing for the future is important as councils will need to develop and update their asset

impact on local authority’s revenue streams, such as parking charges.’

The chief executive of the British bike-share firm Beryl, Phil Ellis, says putting power in the hands of local authorities is a ‘great way to help cyclists overall’.

‘Overall clean air zones improve the total liveability of the streets, as well as, of course, helping cyclists.

Positive examples of that are the low emission neighbourhoods (LENs) in London, particularly in Shoreditch,’ says Mr Ellis.

‘Birmingham is doing innovative things with their clean air zones that goes far beyond helping just cyclists, but helping everybody move more sustainably,’ he adds.

Cllr Bartington says it is also important to consider whether an area has a ‘culture’ of cycling when

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‘High-quality infrastructure is desirable but getting a culture of cycling and normalising cycling is also important if you are to boost rates in low uptake areas.

‘Milton Keynes has got a lot of cycle network provision, but it has not got the culture of cycling,’ she explains.

‘Once cycling becomes the normal way to get around, then it snowballs and more and more people do it. That’s where I want us to go, so it’s not a niche and it just becomes the normal thing to do.’

But despite the renewed enthusiasm for active travel, some people are more cautious and concerned that the need to maintain social distancing will see people choose the car as a way to get around.

‘My greatest concern is that post-lockdown, and in seeking to stimulate the economy, then with social distancing still in place, the private car, an enclosed vehicle, will once again be perceived as the transport mode of choice,’ says the sustainable future transport lead at environmental consultancy Eunomia, Gavin Bailey.

‘It’s difficult to be socially distant

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on a crowded tube, train or bus, and a recent study links the virus epidemic in New York City to the subway system providing a potentially damaging narrative to public transport modes.’

While Coventry’s bicycle mayor is worried that some cities ‘may sleepwalk into adoption of electric vehicles in the same way they did with diesel cars’.

‘An electric vehicle traffic jam is still a traffic jam,’ says Mr Tranter.

‘Electric vehicles don’t stop road danger and they also cause particulate matter (PM 2.5), especially the tiniest of the measurable particles you get through brake wear.

‘Infrastructure is what’s needed to keep people cycling in the long term,’ he adds. ‘We need to make cycling safe and we need to make it feel like anybody can do it.

That’s not the case at the moment and it won’t be the case with a small amount of public infrastructure, but it will be a start.

‘But we really need to continue this political will and see proper and renewed funding, and we need to see it being followed-up with a long-term strategy in the same way they have a

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plan for road building.

‘They need to have the same for cycling, so it’s not a political football every time there’s a new government.

It’s something that we need to build into the ecosystem and the structure of our country, and that’s how we’ll get the true benefits and get people cycling long term.’

‘And finally, it’s worth mentioning, even if you don’t ride a bike, having more people cycling is good for you.

Around 68% of journeys made in this country are under five miles, like the school run. If we can get those kind of journeys all off the road, everyone benefits, even if you’re not riding a bike.’

The vagaries of the British weather, notwithstanding, the summer months are traditionally a time when people head outside, so the short-term prospects for cycling remain healthy.

And while active travel campaigners have often faced an uphill battle getting their message across, recent events have proved that people are willing to embrace walking and cycling. All it needs now is more political will and funding, and we can be at the start of an active travel revolution.

Zephyr

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Clean Air Zones – Postponed or cancelled 2020 was supposed to be the year of the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), and in a twisted sort of way it has come to fruition, despite every council who was planning a CAZ in England postponing theirs until 2021 or beyond.

By Tom Barrett

Leeds Town Hall

Leeds and Birmingham were due to implement the first CAZs in England by the end of the summer, with Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone to follow in December.

However, early on in the coronavirus crisis the two councils’ wrote to the government’s Join Air Quality Unit to ask for a delay until further notice.

With resources and staff already stretched by the crisis, they argued that implementing the CAZs became logistically impossible.

It’s left many wondering that when the pandemic is finally over, will the CAZs return in their current form?

The fault lines are already being drawn. Some say it’s a chance to rethink them and make them bolder, others argue they should be softened to protect businesses who have already been battered by lockdown restrictions.

CAZ chaos Leeds and Birmingham’s respective CAZs have had a chaotic gestation period.

Initially due to come into effect on January 1, the

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CAZs were first delayed due to the government’s botched introduction of a vehicle checking tool that is needed to help motorists check if their vehicle is compliant.

Both councils then delayed it until the end of the summer and then delayed them again until September, just before the coronavirus lockdowns began.

Both authorities asked JAQU to delay the launch of the zone until at least the end of the calendar year which would then be kept under constant review.

Leeds Class B CAZ is due to cover over half of Leeds city centre, with HGVs, buses and coaches set to be charged £50 per day for travelling in the zone if they fail to meet the minimum emissions standards.

Taxis and private hire vehicles will be charged £12.50 per day, or a reduced rate of £50 per week if the vehicles are licensed in Leeds.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson told Air Quality News that the decision to delay the CAZ was made to safeguard businesses who would have been unfairly hit by lockdown restrictions.

They said: ‘The decision to delay the zone’s launch was

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taken in order to allow evaluation of pandemic impacts on the delivery programme and to ensure Leeds businesses are supported through this economically uncertain time.

‘With dealerships currently closed, supply chains disrupted, and a very limited second-hand market, it is also not possible for operators in many cases to take the necessary steps to upgrade their vehicles.’

‘The council continues to work closely with central government and remains committed to launching the Leeds CAZ when the timing is right, from an air quality and socioeconomic perspective.’

But with Leeds and Birmingham still directed to cut levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in ‘the shortest possible time’, Katie Nield, clean air lawyer at ClientEarth, says that the government and councils must not kick the can down the road when it comes to CAZs and clean air.

She said: ‘The government remains under a legal obligation to clean up the air across the country. Ministers must therefore ensure that preparatory work to draw up local air quality plans continues as much as possible.’

‘People need to be able to look forward to breathing cleaner air that is free from illegal levels of pollution when we start to move around once more.’

A Defra spokesperson told Air Quality News that they are sympathetic to the pressures that councils have been facing.

‘We understand the pressures local authorities face due to the coronavirus outbreak and appreciate that they have many priorities at this time as we work together to slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.’

‘We have agreed with Leeds, Birmingham and Bath to delay the introduction of clean air zones in their areas until after January 2021 to help them focus on their response to coronavirus.’

‘Improving air quality remains a key priority for the UK and we will continue to engage with local authorities and keep plans for all Clean Air Zones under constant review.’

Natalie Chapman from the Freight Transport Association (FTA) told Air Quality News that the postponement of Clean Air Zones (CAZs), and other similar air quality schemes, ‘presents an opportunity’ for national and local governments to pause and assess whether these schemes are the most effective way to improve air quality in the long-term.

She said: ‘CAZs will not provide any lasting benefit to air quality. Instead, government would be better placed to adopt a more comprehensive range of measures, such as incentivising the uptake of alternatively fuelled and electric commercial vehicles, more effective management of congestion, and enabling more deliveries to be retimed.’

It’s the economy, stupid The world looks a lot different to how it looked just a few months ago. The global economy is in a deep recession which has brought new priorities to already stretched local authorities.

Speaking to Air Quality News, Cllr Waseem Zaffar from Birmingham City Council emphasised the ‘profound impact’ that Covid-19 has had on the economy of the city and their preparations for a CAZ but promised that ‘once we have addressed coronavirus in the immediate term, poor air quality will continue to be a significant issue in the long term, and we should not be complacent.’

Small businesses are the lifeblood of local economies in cities like Birmingham and many have been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdowns, with two in five SMEs saying they could close for good this year, according to an Opinium poll.

The financial assistance for businesses to upgrade to an electric van, for example, is still relatively small.

So is it fair to ask them to spend tens of thousands upgrading their vehicle or asking them to pay a daily charge, in what will be an extremely challenging economic climate?

‘It is important that the government understands the heavy financial toll Covid-19 is having on logistics businesses and re-evaluates whether introducing such an expensive scheme is affordable in the months after the pandemic, as the economy slowly recovers.

‘CAZs will hit small businesses and specialist operators most – those who can least afford to pay.’

Ms Chapman says if the government should proceed with CAZs in their current format, they must include an auto-pay function within its central CAZ payment portal.

She says it’s decision to employ a ‘manual, timeintensive system’ will place financial hardship and heavy administrative burden upon logistics operators.

‘As local authorities are already using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology in their administration of penalty fines, we see no reason why this cannot be linked to an autopay system, such as that used to administer the central London Congestion Charge.’ she said.

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Another casualty Another casualty is the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Clean Air Plan, after the authority announced it would delay its plan for a year until 2022 due to the pandemic, warning that the economic impacts of the virus could ‘significantly change the assumptions’ that sit behind the plans.

A consultation had been planned for this summer, however the authority said the current coronavirus crisis has limited the authorities ability to progress the delivery of the plan to previous timescales.

England’s biggest CAZ is a key part of the plan, spanning 10 local authority areas across Greater Manchester. HGVs, LGVs, buses and taxis would be charged to enter the CAZ if they don’t meet nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions standards.

Private cars would not be charged.

It’s complemented with a vehicle upgrade programme and 600 new electric vehicle charging points.

Greater Manchester says they ‘remain committed’ to cleaning up its air but warn that the wider economic impacts due to coronavirus could change how the plan is ultimately formed going forward.

ClientEarth’s clean air lawyer Katie Nield said she is ‘extremely concerned and quite frankly alarmed’ at the delay.

‘Local leaders have provided no explanation as to why the current circumstances have triggered a delay of at least another year and a half before any meaningful action to tackle air pollution commences.’

‘Greater Manchester has already missed too many government-imposed deadlines. It’s not right that people are having to wait so long for action to protect their health from toxic air.’

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‘The law makes it clear: plans to tackle illegal pollution in the shortest possible time must be put in place as soon as can be.’

‘This seems especially important now that our cities and towns are recovering from a virus that affects people’s respiratory health.’

Is the CAZ now outdated?

What the lockdown has done is allow us to view our towns and cities differently, free from the relative shackles of the combustion engine.

It’s an air quality experiment in real time and it has perhaps given local authorities, often not known for their imagination, a view of what might be possible.

Councils up and down the country are now reimagining their streetscapes to include better walking and cycling provision, finally standing up to the four wheeled bully, the car, which has spread like Japanese knotweed over the past few decades.

It could mean the concept of a CAZ, that doesn’t even charge private cars such as that planned for Leeds or Manchester, has already become outdated.

Rachel White, head of public affairs at Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity, told Air Quality News that it’s essential we recognise the benefits that the lockdown had but councils must not be complacent about their legal responsibilities to improve air quality.

She said: ‘Given the harm to people’s health caused by air pollution, particularly to those most vulnerable, it’s essential traffic and air pollution levels are kept down as much as possible during and after the pandemic.

‘Measures, such as reallocating road space to walking and cycling are one of the best ways to support people to travel sustainably whilst maintaining physical distancing.

And it’s great to see so many local authorities across the UK implementing such measures.’

‘However, it is important that local air quality plans are also implemented as soon as we begin to move out of the lockdown with a view to fewer, not just cleaner, motor vehicles on our roads.’

It’s a view echoed by Valentine Quinio, clean air researcher at the think tank Centre for Cities. She told Air Quality News that the health of citizens will be damaged the longer that CAZ is not implemented.

‘The crisis acts as a reminder of the dangers of toxic air, with a number of European and US studies linking virus cases, mortality and air pollution levels. These underline the importance of anti-pollution measures to the health of people living in cities.’

‘Further delays to introducing the anti-pollution measures risks worsening this health crisis even further. We need to prevent air pollution from going back to pre-lockdown levels, and we should be doing this now – not in a year or more’ The coronavirus lockdown could have ushered in a new era of cleaner air - but with an uncertain economic future, there will be battles ahead surrounding the CAZ vision and, in the meantime, England must still wait for its first Clean Air Zone.

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Traffic Flow Management using EarthSense Air Quality Data Services Managing traffic flow and vehicle emissions by integrating air quality data into existing traffic management systems.

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he impact of air pollution on human health is an area of growing understanding. Fear of using public transport during the current global Covid-19 pandemic will likely increase the number of vehicles on the road paired with continued pressure from governments and community action groups, it’s more imperative than ever to try and manage the levels of toxic pollutants emitted from vehicles.

Introducing Intelligent Transport Systems and Traffic Management Systems that react to air quality levels could be the facilitating factor. This is an area that air quality specialist, EarthSense has been working on for some time and initially explored as part of project ACCRA (Autonomous and Connected Vehicles for CleaneR Air) back in 2017 along with partners, Cenex, Tevva, Dynniq, Leeds City Council and Transport Systems Catapult.

Today, with the aid of continued developments to data services and international growth, EarthSense are working alongside Aimsun, Siemens and Oxfordshire County Council on the UK’s first potential zeroemission zone achieved through traffic management.

The project titled, Network Emissions/Vehicle Flow Management Adjustment (NEVFMA) is an initiative funded by Highways England and sees the deployment of 18 Zephyr® air quality sensors alongside MappAir® modelling to inform traffic management strategies in a bid to improve air quality and traffic flow in and around Oxford.

17 of the Zephyr® sensors are being used in static mode to gather temporal information and being integrated into roadside infrastructure by Siemens Mobility, including traffic signals and lighting columns on main roads into the city, ring roads and background

urban sites seeing heavy congestion.

Zephyr® sensors measure the local air quality for harmful gas concentrations including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and particle matter (PM2.5) in real-time for those problem areas but what about the areas in between?

This is where the use of a mobile Zephyr® sensor fit to an electric car in conjunction to advanced MappAir® modelled air quality data helps fill in the gaps of deployed sensors, and helps to understand the spatial context for the remaining areas of Oxford. The use of both measured and modelled data services from EarthSense is providing daily coverage for large, unaccounted for areas of the city, with the aim to uncover links between road emissions and roadside air quality.

Talking to Air Quality News about the project, EarthSense Managing Director, Tom Hall said: ‘integrating Zephyr® sensor data and MappAir® models with external systems means we are able to provide validated, high accuracy air quality information to inform a variety of mitigations and strategies to reduce air pollution in problem areas.

‘Integrating this data with Aimsun’s traffic modelling is helping Oxfordshire County Council’s iHub team to investigate how traffic management and control systems can

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be used to reduce emissions in the Oxford area and enables us to trial both the air quality predictions from MappAir® and the Aimsun model.’

What makes this project unique is that the traffic modelling feeds dynamically into the air quality model; despite being interlinked, traffic modelling and air quality are often considered independently and at arms’ length from final project outcomes.

This integrated approach allows analysis of response plans to predict air quality in near real-time, informing localised impact on emission hotspots, reducing peaks in pollutants, and working towards lowering annual averages.

As a result of the project so far, a number of traffic-based pollution lowering initiatives will be implemented, such as the closure of roads for heavy goods vehicles, changes in lane directions to improve traffic flow and increased timings on green lights for lower acceleration emissions. It is hoped that this will enable Oxfordshire County Council’s ambition to have the world’s first zero-emission zone through planning and actively managing the highways networks.

For further information visit: www.earthsense.co.uk

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Feature

The crucial link between air pollution and biodiversity loss Pippa Neill, reporter at Air Quality News, explores the worrying link between certain air pollutants and our declining natural environment.

Biodiversity Loss

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he visual impact that air pollution is having on the natural environment may not be obvious to the untrained eye, but from the abundance of stinging nettles on the side of the road to the lack of bugs splattered on your car windscreen, biodiversity loss is real and it is getting worse.

In the UK alone, 15% of all species are threatened with extinction and 41% of species have declined in abundance since the 1970s.

Historically, plants and insects have had relatively low extinction rates, making these figures all the more ominous.

Causes Scientists cannot come to a unanimous conclusion as to what is causing this ‘sixth mass extinction,’ but one unavoidable factor is air pollution.

Kevin Hicks, research associate at the Stockholm Environment Institute and an expert in this field told Air Quality News: ‘Air pollution is a major driving force changing the natural environment. It is changing the basic structure and function of ecosystems.’

The first known case of air pollution impacting the natural environment was with acidification, what is commonly known as acid rain, thankfully this pollution has been in decline since the 1970s, but now the cause for concern has shifted to nitrogen.

Nitrogen (N) is a key part of our natural ecosystems, but when too much nitrogen enters the environment through transport emissions, the burning of fossil fuels or agriculture, it can accumulate in excess and become toxic, turning into a pollutant.

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To flourish, the majority of wildflowers, lichens and fungi need relatively nutrient-free soil, so as the soils have become heavy with nitrogen, environments have become colonised with nitrogen-loving plants, like nettles, brambles and cow parsley; the ‘thugs’ of the plant world. This process is called eutrophication and causes a competition effect where the more vulnerable plants cannot compete with the nitrogen-loving plants, and so they become threatened with extinction.

According to wildlife conservation charity Plant Life, 63% of sensitive habitats in the UK now have more nitrogen than they can cope with.

Jenny Hawley, policy manager at Plant Life said: ‘Air pollution is dramatically changing the natural environment.

‘If you have a mossy peatbog, it is home to certain types of insects that feed off those mosses, and particular birds that feed off those insects.

‘Once you change the type of plant that is growing in an area, you change the whole habitat, the whole food chain.’

Nitrogen pollution comes in many forms, and another dangerous form is ammonia (NH3).

Ammonia can impact the composition of a species through acidification, causing direct damages to plants leaves, and altering their susceptibility to frost, droughts and pathogens.

In the UK, 88% of ammonia emissions come from agriculture, through the spreading of manures, slurries and fertilisers.

Kevin Hicks explained: ‘Let’s say you have a pig; the pig produces manure, which produces ammonia.

That ammonia can then go straight up in the air and destroy the woodland next door.

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‘Or the ammonia could go up into the atmosphere and be reduced to an ammonium ion, it could then combine with some oxidised nitrogen from the back of a car and form ammonium nitrate, and that could fall onto a bog and cause a competition effect between the plants there.

‘That same molecule could then leave the ecosystem through a stream, and it could travel right down into the sea, causing ocean dead-zones, and from there it can be transformed back into nitrogen and go back into the atmosphere ready to start again.’

More than 85% of England’s total land area receives ammonia concentrations well above the critical levels needed to protect lichens, mosses and other similar plants, and with the number of intensive ‘mega-

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farms’ expected to increase due to the pressures of Brexit on farming and as demand for meat increases, this problem is only going to get worse.

Another source of ammonia pollution is from transport emissions, and despite its harmful effect on the environment, as far as vehicle emission legislation goes, ammonia is not a regulated pollutant.

Ben Kite, chartered ecologist and managing director of ecological planning company EPR explained: ‘Catalytic converters on vehicles remove pollutants from the exhaust gas by changing nitrogen oxides into reduces forms of nitrogen, like ammonia.’

‘These pollutants are less dangerous for humans, but much worse for habitats.’

‘Ammonia is a particular worry with hybrid cars. When the battery runs out, the motor suddenly kicks in and the car dumps all the ammonia at one point in time. If that happens at a sensitive location for roadside habitats we could end up with a situation where the effects of ammonia pollution become much worse.’

Impacts The impact that these pollutants are having on the natural world goes far beyond there being a few less butterflies in the garden. Biodiversity loss is threatening the ecological services that nature provides us.

Biodiversity plays a vital role in nutrition, as soils become depleted through excessive nitrogen, or habitats

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become simplified as we lose certain species, this can affect the nutritional composition of food, affecting the nutrients in our diet.

Biodiversity loss can also increase the risk of infectious diseases, as well as limiting the discovery of potential treatments for other diseases and illnesses.

According to a report published by the national academy of sciences, the Royal Society, if no action is taken to reduce ammonia emissions, by the end of 2020 the costs are estimated to be over £700m a year.

Alexandra Cunha from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the public body that advises the government on conservation issues, told Air Quality News: ‘It is important to understand that when we

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are implementing measures to protect biodiversity, we are also protecting human health.

‘For example, if a bog, an ecosystem that is very sensitive to nitrogen dies, the amount of water it can absorb declines, and consequently this will cause an increase in flooding downstream.

‘In the UK, we are already dealing with huge problems with flooding, and biodiversity loss is related to this. The government knows this, they just have to balance it with their other economic priorities.’

What has been done?

In January last year (2019), the government produced the first comprehensive Clean Air Strategy,

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and for the first time they outlined a plan to reduce ammonia emissions.

However, this approach has been widely criticised for failing to take any significant action. The government only committed to monitoring emissions from ‘intensive’ poultry and pig farms which house more than 40,000 birds or 2,000 pigs, meaning that many smaller farms slip under the radar. The policy also completely ignores beef and dairy farms which is a huge loophole when these farms are solely responsible for 40% of all UK ammonia emissions.

Jenny Hawley said: ‘The farming industry has always pushed back from regulation of any kind, and they’ve successfully lobbied against any regulation of this kind.’

‘We need to see some more definite and faster changes and that needs regulation.’

‘We’ve already missed the 2020 targets for cutting ammonia emissions and we will miss the 2030 targets if we carry on as we are.’

The Clean Air Strategy also outlined plans to reduce nitrogen deposition by offering guidance to local authorities and committing to monitor the environmental impacts annually. However, these plans have also been widely criticised, Friends of the Earth campaigners criticised the strategy for ‘severely lacking in any detail.’

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Air Quality News got in touch with Ian Ludgate, environmental advisor for the National Farmers Union, he made it clear that farmers do want to reduce these emissions, but as always the main barrier is cost: ‘Investing in new infrastructure can be difficult for farmers because it’s expensive and there is little return on investment,’ he said.

Going forward It is clear that a more systematic and thorough approach is needed to reduce the air pollutants that are harming the natural environment. The impact that air pollution is having on biodiversity loss is vast and the human consequences of this are worrying yet, at the moment, very little has been done to talk about this pollution, let alone reduce it.

As stated by Ben Kite: ‘We need better advice to farmers, and we need to encourage sustainable behaviour from the beginning.’

‘We need to ensure that we have the best possible outcome across all boards, you might have an air pollution management area where the local council is trying to push traffic away because of the effect on human health. But that might be pushing it down the road polluting a sensitive habitat. There needs to be more collective communication.’

Indoor

The importance of clean air inside the classroom As children across the UK return to schools, we turn our attention to their indoor air quality.

By Pippa Neill

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hildren spend approximately 1,000 hours in the classroom every year, and with a growing body of evidence highlighting the link between exposure to air pollution and the severity of coronavirus symptoms, it is more important than ever to ensure that children are exposed to clean air as they start to return to school.

A significant proportion of indoor air pollutants come from outside sources. For example, particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) from vehicle emissions can penetrate through buildings or can simply enter into the classroom through open doors and windows.

However, many dangerous air pollutants are also generated inside. One major source is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which come from building materials, cleaning or teaching products and certain types of paints.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is no ‘safe level of exposure to VOCs.’ In the UK, 1 in 11 children suffer from asthma, this is more than any other country in Europe and indoor air pollution is a major cause. These statistics mean that 1.1 million children across the UK are now seen as vulnerable in the face of COVID-19, highlighting the urgent need to clean up our indoor air.

Another worrying indoor air pollutant is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is often prominent in a classroom setting because it is generated by the children themselves.

If you have 50 children in a classroom, all exhaling CO2 in a room with poor ventilation, then you can quickly reach a situation where children are being exposed to dangerous levels of pollution. Mitigating CO2 is particularly important in a classroom setting because exposure is linked to behavioural issues, a difficulty to focus and headaches.

If we want to provide children with the best opportunities in the classroom, then clean air is an essential part of the puzzle.

Prashant Kumar, chair of air quality and health at the University of Surrey and founding director of the Global Centre for Clean Air Research told Air Quality News: ‘There are many actionable ways that schools can improve indoor air pollution, from restricting the number of doors and windows that are open during peak traffic times, planting hedges around roads to mitigate the pollution all together, or by ensuring that the classroom has adequate ventilation.

‘Proper ventilation is important now more than ever before, it is essential for preventing the spread of coronavirus, but it is also essential to prevent air pollutants like CO2 from becoming trapped inside the classroom.

‘Some solutions are simple and actionable, but we need to come up with a way where everyone can do their bit to mitigate indoor air pollution. We need to involve children, parents, councils and environmental groups.

‘When you put everything on the table, everyone has a role to play.’

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The Big Interview

Professor Alastair Lewis Air Quality News editor Thomas Barrett spoke to Professor Alastair Lewis from the University of York and chair of the Air Quality Expert Group, about how coronavirus could change air quality forever.

In the earliest weeks of the lockdown in March and April, the University of York’s air pollution department was buzzing with activity. For a scientist studying the data, the event was a once in a career opportunity.

‘It was a very significant event and a one-off,’ says Professor Lewis. ‘It’s an experiment of the kind that we could only ever have simulated with models. If you’re a PhD student working in air pollution you won’t forget it in a hurry.’

But critics might say their efforts were an exercise in stating the obvious: remove cars off the road then the toxic fumes that bellow out of their exhausts will be reduced.

‘People say “so what? Didn’t you expect pollution to go down once you take the cars away?”

‘Well objectively yes, but we never thought we’d see it in real life overnight.’

Professor Lewis says the data is positive reinforcement that their models around cars and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were accurate.

‘The fact we have a real-world experiment to compare our models against will have a huge amount of scientific and policy value. Even if all its doing is telling us the basic science we already knew about,’ he says.

But whilst NO2 grabbed the headlines, Professor Lewis

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says there has been more difficulty in trying to spot the difference in particulate matter (PM) because of its complex sources.

‘People say “so what? Didn’t you expect pollution to go down once you take the cars away?’

‘For many people, it’s a surprise when you take all these cars off the road and you don’t see this high profile pollutant plummet,’ he says.

‘If you reduce cars and change industrial activity then yes you can bring PM2.5 down by 2µg/m3, 3µg/m3, 4µg/m3,’ ‘But when you go into the detail you find it’s possibly because it was the whole of Europe who acted. We’ll learn a lot from this.

‘With NO2, the fate is almost in the hands of individual cities,’ says Professor Lewis. ‘Whereas PM2.5 we’ll come away with the conclusion that it’s the contribution of Europe.’

‘There’s a lot to learn there, we’re going into a period where the UK will set its standards on air pollution and the mood music is that they will be stringent ones.’

‘Meeting those targets is a UK owned problem which will rely on European cooperation as well.’

The Big Interview

Year zero Professor Lewis believes there will be parts of the world where the lockdowns will be a very profound event for air quality and citizens will not find it acceptable to move back to business as usual.

Cities in countries like India and Vietnam, which were once blighted with smog, have seen dramatic improvements.

‘The pressure will mount very significantly,’ says Professor Lewis.

‘People have seen the world without it. It will create an enormous amount of pressure to improve things and It will be very hard politically for some places to go backwards.

In the UK, however, it’s sometimes harder to discern whether air quality has improved by that much.

Professor Lewis says the big change we are likely to see here, post-COVID, is that there will be a lot of attention to what are the causes of underlying health conditions.

‘What COVID has flushed out is that unhealthy populations really suffer from these pandemics.’

A proxy So, what conclusions can be drawn between air pollution and coronavirus?

Professor Lewis wrote a piece in April warning not to be too quick in making easy judgements between the two. He says in some ways air quality has been a victim of its own success because data is so easily accessible.

‘There has been a bit of a rush to look for associations,’ he says. ‘If I want to look at air pollution data for a street in York I can go online and do that. I can’t do the same thing for obesity or smoking. I don’t have access to those data sets and the most accessible data set you can get your hands on is air quality, so it found itself as a proxy for lots of other things.’

‘In a way, it’s a testament to how well organised air pollution data is. It’s probably one of seven or eight factors.

Over time more and more analysis will associate these factors but air pollution won’t disappear. ‘ There have also been studies that COVID-19 could be hitching a ride on particulates, which Professor Lewis suggests could be a red herring.

‘It isn’t surprising that you find a virus on particles, that’s not new or unique to COVID. The big uncertainty is how viable the virus is on an ambient particle.’

‘Outside they are exposed to sunlight and oxidants, which are known to kill the virus,’ he adds.

‘The other thing is you need to breathe in a certain dose, and it’s not known what the dose is to inhale to be infected.

If you have one or two particles floating around you are almost certainly not going to reach the required dose to get infected.’

‘The idea of returning back to utter gridlock because we’ve opted for cars is highly problematic’ Missed opportunity As part of Professor Lewis’ role as chair of the Air Quality Expert Group, he organised Defra’s call for evidence on the links between COVID-19 and air pollution, which gathered crucial information from universities, local authorities and private companies on how the pandemic has influenced air quality. However, with people more or less locked inside their homes for months it revealed one glaring missed opportunity -little has been learnt during the lockdown about indoor air pollution.

‘We hoped someone would come out of the woodwork and the outcome has reaffirmed we have so little data collected on indoor AQ. ‘Many of the questions asked by Defra during this period we simply couldn’t answer, as we just don’t collect the relevant information. It was however reassuring that we connected together all these changes in outdoor air pollution.’

Hope In a period of darkness, with tens of thousands of people losing their lives to the virus, people have taken hope from the reduction in air pollution.

Professor Lewis hopes that this won’t be false hope.

‘The idea of returning back to utter gridlock because we’ve opted for cars is highly problematic,’ he says.

‘There’s a problem that people can’t always envisage what something could be like – now we’ve had this chance to experience a major change. Smart cities will look on this as an opportunity. The public mood is not ‘let’s get back to high air pollution as quickly as we can’ when people have seen what the city can be like when it’s not gridlocked with cars.’

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Advertorial

The impact of COVID-19 on clean air zones and civil traffic enforcement

By Tim Daniels, Client Development Director, Videalert Ltd.

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he COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the impact that reduced levels of traffic can have on air pollution. The drop in traffic in both cities and urban areas along with reduced industrial and commercial activity, delivered a significant reduction in air-polluting emissions of up to 62% during the lockdown.

The bizarre images of empty city centres, roads and motorways gave an unprecedented glimpse into what can happen to the air we breathe when emissions are drastically and suddenly cut.

However, as the UK lockdown measures have relaxed and normal everyday activities resumed, traffic levels and the corresponding emissions have quickly started rising again. For example, according to a recent report from Greenpeace, whilst nitrogen dioxide and particulate pollution initially decreased in China following

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the initial COVID-19 response, levels of these pollutants were higher this April than they were at the same time last year as factories and other businesses reopened to make up for lost time.

In the UK, the fear over social distancing on public transport is forcing people to re-evaluate how and where they can go back to work.

Whilst there will undoubtedly be more people working from home or cycling, there will be a significant increase in the number of people deciding that driving to work in the ‘safe’ environment of their cars.

This additional traffic will not only make rush hour journeys even slower but also present major problems in terms of where will all these vehicles park? It is hard enough to find somewhere to park in ‘normal’ times so what is going to happen as demand swamps supply in the provision of parking spaces? There are already

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calls for charges to be suspended in towns and car parks during this phase of the pandemic and council parking teams and their partners are likely to be stretched to the limit.

With this expected increase in traffic, it will be more important than ever to try to minimise congestion in order that public transport can remain operational and vital deliveries reach the businesses that need them. CCTV cameras are already routinely used to enforce traffic regulations relating to box junctions, bus lanes, banned turns and restricted zones, helping to ease congestion and prevent gridlock in towns and cities. Reducing the number of contraventions in these areas has a significant impact on reducing the build-up of traffic jams on busy routes as well as speeding up bus journey times.

It is also important to consider the impact of stationary traffic on air pollution. Exhaust fumes contain a

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number of harmful gasses including carbon dioxide, which is bad for the environment and contributes towards climate change, as well as a range of other harmful gasses including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons which are linked to asthma and other lung diseases. It is already an offence to sit in a vehicle leaving the engine idling. Rule 123 of The Highway Code states that ‘drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.’

However, at present it is only councils in London and Wales that have the ability to enforce moving traffic contraventions under the Transport Management Act 2004.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government signalled its intention to extend these powers to all regions.

This will be a vital step in the delivery of the government’s Clear Air Zone strategy, particularly as it has been widely reported that the police are no longer carrying out this enforcement in many areas due to budget cuts and manpower shortages.

An unfortunate side effect of the coronavirus crisis is that the planned clean air zones in cities such as Birmingham, Leeds and Oxford have been delayed. In the case of Birmingham, the council has asked the government’s Joint Air Quality Unit to delay the launch of the zone, which was due to come into effect before the end of summer 2020, until at least the end of the year. Similarly, Oxford has been delayed to 2021 and Leeds has been delayed until further notice.

However, other planned Clean Air Zones for Bath, Bristol, Portsmouth and Manchester (TfGM) remain on track to go live in 2021.

If the full benefits of deploying clean air zones are to be realised, the government needs to take a more joined up approach. The challenge appears to be in determining the level at which these issues need to be tackled and the order in which they should be fixed. Unfortunately, successive governments have a chequered track history of project failures that have resulted in confusion regarding

departmental responsibilities and increased costs.

The way that the enforcement of clean air zones, low emission zones and moving traffic contraventions are managed is a case in point. There are three different government departments involved in parking, traffic, road safety and air pollution, all of which operate independently with no apparent sharing of data or philosophy.

The siloed approach adopted by these departments has resulted in different pieces of legislation being drawn up relating to the way that CCTV cameras can be used. They include:

at different times throughout the day and night, the air quality data can be combined with CCTV data to strengthen and validate the business case for the adoption of moving traffic enforcement restrictions to improve the effectiveness of clean air and low emission zones.

• Clean Air Act • Transport Management Act • Road User Charging Act Surely it would have been better to have a single piece of legislation about how cameras can be used instead of the government’s COAD legislation (Certification of Approved Device) which imposes different certification requirements for the use of cameras based on type of scheme such as CAZ, ULEZ, road user congestion charging, parking and traffic enforcement.

As well as being costly to manage, this legislation has resulted in inconsistency and confusion for both the vehicle drivers and councils that are being asked to implement these schemes.

Councils can now adopt a more holistic approach to tackling these issues by deploying multi-tasking digital video platforms, such as Videalert’s hosted solution, that not only support the monitoring and management of clean air and low emission zones, but also multiple traffic enforcement applications simultaneously. Such platforms also enable councils to cross correlate the impact of improved driver compliance with the improvements in air quality using the latest generation of Air Quality Monitors. These hyper local devices use the same infrastructure deployed for CCTV enforcement cameras for real-time data capture on the level of airborne particulates, including nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide. As well as showing the levels of gas and particulate matter

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The massive changes in the behaviour of drivers that have taken place as a result of the current lockdown reinforces the vital role that clean air and low emission zones will have on air quality over the longer term. The crisis will also undoubtedly cause businesses to re-assess whether a larger proportion of employees can work from home as opposed to travelling to the office which will also contribute positively to reducing air pollution. As part of the Marston Holdings group, Videalert is at the forefront in the development of cost effective and efficient solutions to monitor, manage and enforce these zones.

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Local Government Interview

London’s road to recovery cannot be clogged with cars Shirley Rodrigues, London’s deputy mayor for environment and energy, discusses the return to the new normal for the nation’s capital.

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ir pollution is the biggest environmental risk to health. Poor air quality stunts the growth of children’s lungs and worsens chronic illness such as asthma, lung and heart disease. There is also emerging evidence linking air pollution with an increased vulnerability to COVID-19.

In London we have already made great progress in improving air quality over recent years, introducing bold policies including the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone which helped reduce roadside nitrogen dioxide by 44 per cent in central London from February 2017 to January 2020.

In 2016, London’s air exceeded the hourly legal limit for nitrogen dioxide for over 4,000 hours. Last year, this fell to just over 100 hours – a reduction of 97 per cent.

We have also seen additional improvements in air quality during the coronavirus lockdown as traffic fell to around half pre-lockdown levels. As we start to recover, our challenge will be to eradicate air pollution permanently.

We must build on the success of policies such as ULEZ and Londoners agree. A recent YouGov poll of residents in London revealed overwhelming support for measures to protect health by tackling air pollution emissions from cars.

Nearly nine in ten Londoners are in favour of measures to reduce car emissions and use.

Last month the Mayor announced plans to transform parts of central London into one of the largest car-free zones

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in any capital city in the world as part of our Streetspace Plan. This is not only necessary to enable safe social distancing on public transport in London as lockdown restrictions are eased, but to avoid a car-based recovery. We need millions more journeys to be made on foot or by bike, which these changes will enable, as well as continuing to improve the city’s air quality.

With London’s public transport capacity potentially limited to a fifth of pre-crisis levels to enable safe social distancing, up to eight million journeys a day will need to be made by other means. If people switch only a fraction of these journeys to cars, London will grind to a halt. Essential deliveries and emergency services will be stuck in gridlock and Londoners will once again be exposed to toxic traffic fumes and rising levels of road danger. Our city’s economic recovery will be choked off.

The Congestion Charge, LEZ and ULEZ were suspended to allow key workers to travel safely during the strictest period of lockdown. Seven weeks later (despite the very large number of people working from home) car traffic on weekdays in central London surpassed pre-lockdown levels. As a condition of the recent funding deal with the Government, TfL was required to bring forward proposals quickly to temporarily widen the scope and level of the Congestion Charge.

The reintroduction of the charges helped return car traffic in central London to below pre-lockdown levels. But it is now increasing again and if left unchecked, as lockdown restrictions ease and people switch from public transport to cars, there could be a doubling of car use in central London.

We cannot replace one health crisis with another.

London’s road to recovery cannot be clogged with cars. We need a green recovery that prioritises walking and cycling, ensures that essential vehicles like buses, taxis and freight vehicles are zero emission, and creates new green jobs and industries that we need. Only by doing this will we create a greener, cleaner, healthier future for our city.

Shirley Rodrigues, London’s deputy mayor for environment and energy.

Local Government

Has local government’s love affair with electricity fizzled out?

The news that Bristol Energy, one of the country’s largest council-owned energy companies, is up for sale has raised questions about what kind of role local authorities should play in the energy market.

By Jamie Hailstone

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tep back in time five years and the chatter in local government circles was all about energy, or rather the idea of going into business and supplying their residents with electricity.

At the time, council-owned energy companies were seen as a gamechanger, which would help usher in a new era of renewable energy, tackle fuel poverty and, whisper it quietly, raise a bit of money for cash-strapped local authorities in the process.

The omens were certainly good. Two local authorities – Bristol City Council and Nottingham City Council – went all in and formed fully-fledged energy service companies, and other councils used existing energy companies to provide the back office for their own ‘white label’ businesses.

But neither Robin Hood Energy (Nottingham City Council) or Bristol Energy have turned a profit since they started operating, and local

government’s love affair with energy appears to have cooled in the last 12 months.

In September last year, Portsmouth City Council pulled the plug on the ill-fated Victory Energy, after it failed to find a buyer for the company, which never actually traded in the first place.

In March, Robin Hood Energy posted a loss of £23.1 million for the 2018/19 financial year. Nottingham City Council is currently carrying out a strategic review into the firm, and the results are expected later this summer.

And last month, after much speculation, Bristol City Council announced it was putting Bristol Energy up for sale, after commissioning Ernst & Young to conduct an assessment of its viability.

With local government finances under increasing strain from the cost of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increasingly competitive nature of the energy supply market, there has been mounting speculation that the days

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of the council energy company are at an end. Speaking to Air Quality News, renewable energy consultant Stephen Cirell says while he believes the concept of a municipal energy company remains perfectly valid, particularly in terms of fighting fuel poverty in the local community, the ‘simple economics and commerciality of running these companies’ has proved to be a problem.

‘If you look at the nitty gritty of running an energy supply company, you realise you have the risk of getting customers, getting electricity to sell to them and keeping the cash flow going.

‘The “Big Six” energy companies are involved in energy generation, distribution and transmission, as well as supply. They might look like they are doing really well, but they are not making much money from their supply businesses.

They can buy gigawatts of electricity well in advance, because they know they have the customers to sell it to.

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Local Government

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‘It is getting harder and harder to get into electricity supply,’ adds Cirell.

‘Around 20 energy supply companies have gone bust in the last 18 months and the reason is cash flow. They can’t buy the electricity as cheaply as the big companies. They are like corks bobbing around in the sea, while the “Big Six” are big liners who are not being rocked quite as badly.’

Ted Hopcroft, energy expert at PA Consulting, says there has been a big shift in the energy supply market from the ‘Big Six’ to a more crowded marketplace, with more smaller and medium-sized suppliers.

‘The sheer number of smaller

additional challenge for council-owned customers,’ says Mr Hopcroft.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. One local authority, Warrington BC bucked the trend in October last year when it announced it had invested £18m into the Scottish firm Together Energy, because of its ‘unique industry business model’.

‘We’ve long had an ambition for Warrington to help address fuel poverty in the borough and also to help move towards green energy,’ explains the council’s deputy chief executive and director of corporate services, Lynton Green.

‘It was clear that Together had a

suppliers makes it hard to establish a brand and hence critical mass,’ says Mr Hopcroft.

‘Council owned companies may be limited by their brand – e.g. “Bristol Energy” implies a certain geographic focus, although some white-label their services. It may also be hard for a smaller supplier to obtain and retain the skills in trading and hedging to ensure a stable, profitable energy supply; newer smaller companies tend to have fewer sticky customers, which make energy purchasing more challenging,’ he explains.

‘Local authorities do some excellent work with vulnerable customers, for example, Bristol Energy’s support for the Warmer Homes and Money (WHAM) project, but they may tend to attract less profitable customers. Bad debt arising from COVID could be an

similar ethos, from their employment and training of the unemployed, to being a real living wage employer too.

Working closely with a company that was already seeing steady growth was a way of Warrington addressing these issues more quickly.

It also gave us an opportunity to use the energy generated through our solar generation assets back into Warrington for the benefit of our residents, although initially we will be using the power from our Hull solar farm to power the council.’

But Mr Green adds it has not been ‘an easy course to navigate’.

‘I think whilst other authorities have entered the energy market earlier, Warrington has been able to learn from their difficulties,’ he says.

‘But buying into a small existing supplier has avoided some of the

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riskier parts of setting up a new energy company. Our experience has been developed through investments in renewables, and that has helped us join up the two things. I can certainly see more councils getting involved in energy generation, but the opportunities for entering the supply market are less likely, although we would be willing to discuss with other councils how we, through Together, could support them with their own white-labelled energy company.’

Mr Cirell agrees that investing in renewable energy generation is a different financial proposition altogether.

‘Building a solar farm is a piece of cake, compared to running an energy supply company. The prices have dropped so much. When I was in Cornwall in 2010, we planned a 5MW solar farm for around £12m capital cost. That same solar farm now will cost you £3m. So, for that amount, plus grid connection and planning costs, you could have a solar farm that will make you an 8% return for 25 years, virtually guaranteed. You won’t have any nasty surprises.’

Sebastian Just, commercial director at Aurora Energy Research, adds that while investing in renewable energy is ‘not without risks’, projects like solar farms can provide local authorities with a ‘relatively stable income’.

‘The renewable energy market is growing and there’s a growing desire on the part of local authorities and other organisations to become sustainable, which is helping to drive the market and to get closer to the Net Zero. We will see more renewable projects, it’s a question of whether local authorities will be part of this.’

Council finance chiefs are going to have a busy few months, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. As well as additional costs for PPE and social care, Westminster is rife with rumours that the Treasury is about to limit how councils can invest in property and other large-scale schemes.

The news about Bristol Energy will almost certainly make local authorities think again about entering the energy supply business, but generation could yet prove to be a lucrative market.

Legislation

Our future air quality at a crossroads?

By Anita Lloyd, Director at Squire Patton Boggs.

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here has been much discussion about the significant effects that the global economic and travel restrictions, arising from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, have had on air pollution levels, notably nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Areas that have been affected by the virus have shown strong decreases in NO2, primarily because of reductions in transport. With the majority of the workforce either at home because they cannot work, or working from home, and with rules on social distancing and only essential journeys taking place, most daily journeys ground to a halt for several months. There have also been reports linking the severity of COVID-19 with air pollution, providing further reasons why air quality is one of the issues coming under scrutiny as we come out of lockdown.

As we start to unlock the economy, many workers are returning to their workplaces, and the wider population are making more journeys, whether to visit friends and family, take children to school or visit newly opened shops. However, the message from government is clear that you must avoid public transport if you can. Without wider adjustments in transport policy, this is bound to result in some people choosing to make journeys by car that they would have previously made on public transport. Whilst the pandemic may lead, in the longer term, to increases in home working and less commuting overall, there are still grave concerns about the impact that increased private car use could have on air quality.

We have picked out a few recent developments that may inform the likely legal and policy direction of travel on air quality issues over the coming months: • A number of major cities that were planning to introduce clean air zones (CAZ) in 2020, including Manchester, Birmingham, Bath and Leeds, have delayed their CAZ due to the virus crisis and its profound economic effect on their cities. These schemes are likely to be delayed until well into 2021, if not 2022. Transport for London has also suspended its Ultra-Low Emissions Zone until further notice. One unintended consequence of the virus, in delaying the introduction of CAZ, may be a slower improvement in air pollution levels in our large cities, putting aside the very immediate but temporary effect that major transport restrictions have had on air quality.

• In late May 2020, the All Party Parliamentary Group on air pollution launched its Air Quality Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus Infection, a report written using evidence from scientists, businesses and local authorities about the links between COVID 19 and air quality. It features twelve proposals including continuing home working, increasing spaces for pedestrian and cyclists, more frequent public transport services to avoid crowding, improvements in indoor air quality and the adoption of World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality targets.

• The Environment Bill, which includes new legislation on air quality, such as proposals to set PM2.5 targets, was making its way through parliament just before lockdown.

The Bill was suspended until further notice, and so the legislation has been delayed. The Bill is expected to resume its progress in parliament before the summer recess, and it will be interesting to see if there is stronger support for enhanced air quality provisions, including adoption of the WHO PM2.5 target, which is not part of the current proposal.

• NGO’s the Good Law Project and Mums for Lungs wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 2 June 2020 to request an urgent review of the government’s Clean Air Strategy, and other relevant policies relating to air quality, in accordance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the European Convention on Human Rights. This request is made in light of the growing evidence of a link between poor air quality and both the incidence and severity of COVID-19.

There are, of course, many more pieces to the jigsaw, and wider concerns about how sustainability and environmental concerns are taken into consideration in the global recovery.

There are widespread calls, from business as well as citizens and NGOs, and not least from the Build Back Better campaign, for the post COVID-19 economic recovery to be a green one and to promote the changes that we need to achieve those sustainability and decarbonisation goals. Improving air quality as we move forward will be a critical part of that green recovery.

Anita Lloyd Director, Squire Paton Boggs

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International

The paradox of air pollution in the Kathmandu valley.

David Harrison, a frequent traveller to Nepal, reports on the challenges and opportunities for clean air in the Kathmandu Valley, currently one of the most polluted areas in the world yet set against a backdrop of aesthetically beautiful mountains and wild landscapes.

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rriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is an assault on the senses. There is a heady concoction of both sights and sounds as taxi drivers line up patiently in their battered decades-old Nissans and Suzukis, while thick swirls of dust and exhaust fumes hang heavy in the air.

In the peak trekking seasons of April and October, visitors from all over the globe descend on Nepal in search of the natural wilderness of high mountains such as Annapurna, Machapuchare, Ama Dablam and of course Everest. In 2019, 1.17 million tourists entered the country.

The starting point for these adventures is always Kathmandu, a vibrant and densely populated capital city which, along with the neighbouring cities of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, make up the Kathmandu Valley. The area has a growing population of 2.5 million.

A taxi ride from the airport to one of the tourist hotels proves an adventure in itself, winding through the many narrow streets on mainly dirt roads which are poorly constructed and incredibly dusty.

The causes of poor air quality are evident everywhere. Old motor vehicles, poor road construction, wood burning fires, back street industries and brick kilns, all of which contribute to significant levels of particulate matter (PM10), (PM2.5), and gaseous pollutants like ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), along with volatile organic compounds like benzene, carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) The impact of poor air quality is exacerbated by the natural amphitheatre surrounding the Kathmandu Valley with mountains, ranging from 2000 to 2800m, encircling the urban areas.

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Largely protected from any winds, the pollutants are not dispersed and hang heavy over the local population and tourists alike.

The Nepalese are an ingenious people. Their ability to keep vehicles operational, whatever the age, is truly remarkable. That said, old diesel vehicles are contributing significantly to the poor air quality in the city. In 2000 / 2001 there were 24,003 vehicles registered in Kathmandu and this has increased dramatically to 79,822 in 2015 / 2016.

The World Health Organisation (‘WHO’) has reported that PM2.5 levels of particulate matter in urban areas of Nepal often reach up to 140 μg/m3 which is 10 times higher than the desired level.

A significant contributing factor to the poor air quality is geographical location: as a land locked country Nepal is bordered by two industrial power houses – China and India. Both of those countries are struggling to manage their own air quality which has serious implications for the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas.

In May 2020, in response to a request for recent air quality data, the WHO provided us with data for 2017, in itself an indication of the lack of reliable and current information regarding pollution levels across the country. What the 2017 data did indicate was that some of the highest PM10 levels are recorded in monitoring stations closest to the Indian border (Lumbini).

Major cities in India such as Delhi, Raipur and Gwalior are among the world’s most polluted urban areas.

Indeed, Delhi is classed as the most polluted capital city in the world with air pollution levels recorded as 30 times higher than the WHO’s recommended upper limit.

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To the East is China with cities such as Jingjinji, Beijing and Tianjin having high levels of PM2.5. With air pollution not respecting international borders this is a significant problem for the Nepalese government.

In a developing country such as Nepal improving air quality is a massive challenge but the government is developing strategies to meet it.

Perhaps surprisingly, in the 1990’s Nepal was even ahead of its time as regards the adoption of EV vehicles.

Kathmandu replaced a fleet of 640 Indian diesel powered, 12-seater buses called Vikram Tempos with a vehicle known as a Safa Tempo which was powered by a lead-acid golf cart battery.

International

These new electric vehicles delivered emission free journeys for 100,000 people every day and were supported by 38 charging points.

However, these early, forwardthinking attempts to use EV’s did not catch on: the higher running costs of the Safa Tempo proved a barrier in a country where the average annual income has just passed the $1,000 mark.

When tariff exemptions ended there was a rush to replace the Tempo with 15- seater Toyota diesel microbuses.

For a significant increase in electric vehicles to occur there also needed to be a larger infrastructure of charging points developed. Private owners needed to be re-educated

as to the long-term benefits of EV vehicles. Prices remained prohibitively expensive and there was no subsidy scheme and perhaps most importantly there were also regular issues with the reliability of the electricity supply network.

In an attempt to improve air quality in the Kathmandu Valley and across the whole of Nepal the government has created a National Plan for Electric Mobility (NPEM) As part of the NPEM the government has set out a number of ambitious targets which should have a positive impact upon air quality. These include: • By the end of 2020 to have increased the share of electric

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vehicles up to 20% from 2010 levels, • By 2050 to have cut the use of fossil fuels in the transport sector by 50%, • By 2040 to develop its electric (hydro powered) rail network, • To decrease the rate of air pollution through proper monitoring of sources of pollutants across waste, old and unmaintained vehicles and industries.

Arguably the key issue is the reliability and supply of renewable energy. If the Nepalese government could create a supply beyond that which is required by the country – Nepal would not only have the power 31

International

Ratna Park is a monitoring station in the Kathmandu Valley & Lumbini is located in present day Rummindei in the Teraj region of Nepal close to the Indian Border.

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it requires for the development of a coherent EV strategy but would also have a surplus to sell onto neighbouring countries. This would be a positive step forward both environmentally and economically.

While 90% of the country’s total electric generation capacity is via HEP (hydro-electric power) the amount of energy harvested from that which is available is relatively small.

USAID has a 5-year plan worth

$9.9 million which forms part of the NHDP (Nepal Hydro Development Project). Working with the Investment Board of Nepal and the Ministry of Energy, the project will look to facilitate and encourage private sector investment in hydro power in Nepal in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner.

The Nepalese government’s white paper on energy and water resources states an aim to increase HEP capacity

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to 15,000 MW. They estimate that reliable 24 hour a day peak energy usage in Nepal will reach 5,371 MW by 2030; any surplus could then be exported to other countries in Asia, generating significant funds for the further development of a green transport infrastructure.

While HEP remains the main source of energy generation in Nepal, other forms of renewable energy are also being developed. In April 2018 it began construction of its largest solar energy plant in the Nuwakot district.

The project will have a capacity of 25 MW to serve the Kathmandu Valley upon completion.

Solar is becoming an increasingly viable option given the global fall in the costs of photovoltaic solar panels and the strong power purchase rate offered by the Nepal Electric Authority.

Improving air quality in the Kathmandu valley is one complex puzzle. Solutions are interlinked with the wider development of the country’s infrastructure – so easy wins are difficult to identify.

The need to increase the EV numbers and charging points is directly linked to the need for a reliable and renewable power

International

supply. The fi nancing of much of the infrastructure will require a surplus of energy to be harvested via HEP and solar and investors will need to be attracted to the new projects being developed.

The traditional source of energy of the local population also needs to change as, in the residential sector, around 77% of energy consumed is via biomass (wood, agriculture residue and animal dung).

Since the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures were imposed by the Nepalese government, a reduction in the number of car journeys has had a significant impact on the Air Quality Index rating in Kathmandu.

This illustrates that improvement in air quality is attainable and highlights the importance of building an EV infrastructure and managing a large population of aging diesel vehicles.

There are certainly some positive clean air and sustainable energy

beyond may no-longer be endangered by the chronic levels of air pollution which engulf their cities and trekkers, arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport, may walk out of the terminal and breathe clean air.

policies being established by the Nepalese government and their partners and hopefully these will have a positive impact on air quality.

If effective, those living in the spectacular Kathmandu Valley and

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