A new charter for cleaner air has been launched by Oxford City Council, Greenpeace UK, and Friends of the Earth, calling on the Government to place the health of communities first.
The charter, which was created by Oxford City Council, is believed to be the first formal cooperation with Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth (EWNI) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) to be led by a local authority.
We hope Oxford’s example will lead other local authorities across the country to sign up to a Charter for Cleaner Air.
Charter for Cleaner Air
We all have a right to breathe clean air. However, across the UK illegal and here in Oxford harmful levels of air pollution are damaging people’s health and their quality of life and cutting lives short.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Together we are calling on the UK Government to put the health of our communities first:
- Show national leadership in removing the most polluting vehicles from the most polluted parts of our towns and cities to protect people’s health.
- Provide greater investment in public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure to give people real alternatives.
- End the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars and vans earlier than 2040.
- Revise the tax regime and provide fiscal incentives to help people and businesses adopt cleaner vehicles.
- Accelerate the zero emission revolution by investing in charging infrastructure and the supporting power network.
- Ensure fossil fuels do not generate the power used to fuel electrified vehicles.
- Tighten legal limits on air pollution to match safer WHO guideline levels.
- Improve the national monitoring and modelling of air pollution to show the true extent of the problem.
- Adopt a new Clean Air Act or equivalent fit for the 21st Century backed by an independent watchdog with teeth.
- Launch a national public health campaign and alert system to highlight the dangers of air pollution.
Signed
