Can we do more to stop the damaging impact of air pollution in Scotland? And how can we put an end to urban areas with traffic-choked streets, which repeatedly breach EU air quality laws? These are just some of the questions the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee will explore as it invites views into Scotland’s air quality as part of a new inquiry.
It comes after Scotland’s worst polluted streets were revealed earlier this year, with St John’s Road in Edinburgh and Hope Street in Glasgow found in breach of the European legal limit for nitrogen dioxide.
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee Convener, Graeme Dey, said: “Scotland has taken great strides towards having the cleanest air in Europe, but we must take air quality seriously in order to achieve our ambitious targets.
“Not only can poor air quality impact our natural environment and wildlife, but it is also bad for our own health and is especially harmful for the young, elderly and people who already have heart and lung conditions. In fact, recent evidence suggests air pollution may be a contributory factor to 15,000 early deaths in Scotland each year.
“As part of our new inquiry, the Committee wants to hear whether Scotland is doing all that it can to tackle toxic gases and how this fits into the overall plans to cut pollution within the UK and EU. It’s crucial that we have the best policies in place so that we can breathe clean air and protect the health of our future generations.”
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