- Proportion of air pollution-related deaths highest in Edinburgh, and lowest in Aberdeen
- Estimated 628 air pollution-related deaths in Scotland’s cities in just one year
- Councils need more money and power to reduce killer air pollution
More than one in 29 deaths in Scotland’s largest cities and towns are related to long term exposure to air pollution, according to new estimates in Centre for Cities’ annual study of the UK’s major urban areas – Cities Outlook 2020.
The proportion of deaths related to the deadly toxin PM2.5 are highest in Edinburgh, with the latest data linking it to 157 deaths in just one year, or 3.7% of all adult deaths in the city.
But Glasgow has seen the most deaths overall in Scotland – 354 in just one year.
In total, an estimated 628 people were killed by PM2.5-related deaths in Scottish cities in just one year.
Aberdeen has the smallest proportion of deaths related to PM2.5 Scotland. There, PM2.5 caused 63 deaths – or 3.0% of all adult deaths in the city.
The proportion of deaths in Scottish cities linked to PM2.5 toxins is lower than the rest of the UK due to their distance from London – by far the biggest emitter of PM2.5 in the UK – and from continental Europe, as some emissions are blown over the English Channel.
But action can still be taken in Scotland to reduce air pollution-related deaths. Transport is a significant, but not sole contributor to air pollution; burning fuels is also a major cause. For example, half of deadly PM2.5 toxins generated in cities and large towns come from sources such as wood burning stoves and coal fires.
| PM2.5-related deaths in Scotland | |||
| Rank | City | Total number of PM2.5-related deaths | PM2.5-related deaths as a percentage of total deaths |
| 1 | Edinburgh | 157 | 3.7% |
| 2 | Glasgow | 354 | 3.4% |
| 3 | Dundee | 55 | 3.1% |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 63 | 3.0% |
| Deaths in people aged 25 and over, 2017 | |||
Half of local authority leaders polled by Centre for Cities highlighted the environment as a major concern, but progress has been slow and they must do more to prevent more avoidable deaths from air pollution. Cities in Scotland should:
- Introduce Ultra Low Emission Zones to charge car and van drivers in city centres.
- Ban the use of wood burning stoves and coal fires in areas where air pollution exceeds guidelines (in coordination with the Scottish Government).
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government should do more to help local politicians in Scotland act by providing financial incentives for cities to improve air quality through the establishment of an Environmental Impact Bond.
Finally, the UK Government should make securing plans with the EU to tackle cross border air pollution a key component of the future relationship. It should also adopt the World Health Organization’s stricter guidelines on PM2.5 – as the Scottish Government has already done – and make a legally binding commitment to meet this by 2030 at the latest.
Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said: “More than half of people in the UK live in cities and large towns. And while they offer people good employment and lifestyle opportunities, Cities Outlook 2020 shows that they also having a damaging effect on their health, with air pollution killing thousands of people living in cities every year.
“Politicians often talk tough on addressing air pollution but we need to see more action. People in Scotland should be at the centre of the fight against its toxic air and councils should take the steps needed, including charging people to drive in city centres and banning wood burning stoves.
“To help the Government needs to provide the Scotland councils with extra money and introduce stricter guidelines. Failure to act now will lead to more deaths in Scotland.”