Event: Air pollution brief by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty

The Chief Medical Officer’s presented his annual report on air pollution to MPs, calling for political leaders to go further to achieve better health outcomes.

In his abridged presentation of the report, he referred to the health impact of air pollution; the reductions of outdoor air pollution; and listed some areas that should be the focus of policy or regulation. These included specialist vehicles, domestic space heating, ammonia in agriculture and indoor air pollution. Professor Whitty noted that while focus had previously been on outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution accounts for around 50 per cent of people’s exposure to air pollution outside of urban areas and therefore needs more attention within government.

In response to an in-depth Q&A he cited urban planning as being key to encourage active travel, reduce exposure to pollution and improve health outcomes generally. He noted that the topography of areas might contribute to pollution levels and would therefore need to be considered when finding local solutions. He also explored how tackling air pollution could be one way to reduce historic disparities in health inequalities within the UK. Going forward he asked for engineers and politicians to make and implement the technical and policy changes needed for better air quality.

Read the presentation here. For the fuller report, visit here.