Sun, Sep 30, 2018 page5

• UK children denied right to clean air, UNICEF says

  • The Guardian
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  Children in the UK are being denied their basic human right to breathe clean air and are facing a long-term “health crisis” because of the toxic fumes they breathe on their way to and from school, UNICEF said.

  The organization, which campaigns on children’s rights and well-being around the world, described the situation in the UK as “horrific” and has announced that it is to make protecting youngsters from air pollution its priority across the country in the months ahead.

  “I have been amazed as the picture has emerged showing us just exactly what the impact of air pollution is on children in the UK,” said Alastair Harper from UNICEF UK.

  “Research is coming out all the time showing us how these toxic emissions can lead to lasting and devastating health impacts, impacts that will last their entire lives, from stunted lung growth to asthma to brain developments. It is horrific,” Harper said.

  CRISIS

  UNICEF’s intervention follows a series of new studies that highlight the effects of the UK’s air pollution crisis on children’s health and is expected to increase the pressure on the government to intervene.

  The charity, which is working with schools across Britain, as well as clean air groups, is calling on the British government to introduce a fully funded national action plan to protect children from the effects of toxic air.

  “We want a national strategy specifically to protect children from harm and a ring-fenced pot of funding to focus on the ways to reduce children’s exposure to toxic air, Harper said.

  “We now know that exposure is most acute when they are traveling to and from school or nurseries, and even inside the classrooms. Now there is no excuse not to take immediate and determined action,” he added.

  Measures should include vehicle exclusion zones around schools, a network of clean air zones, improved walking and cycling infrastructure in towns and cities and more child-friendly urban areas, he said.

  Last year, a Guardian investigation revealed that hundreds of thousands of children were being exposed to illegal levels of damaging air pollution from diesel vehicles at more than 2,000 schools and nurseries across England and Wales.

  INDOOR POLLUTION

  Earlier this month, it emerged that children were absorbing a disproportionate amount of dangerous air pollution on their way to and from school — and while in the classroom.

  One school was found to have several times over the WHO pollution limit for the most damaging particulates inside several of its classrooms.

  There is a growing campaign among some parents and schools to ban the school run, and encourage walking and cycling, but UNICEF said the British government needs to step in to orchestrate a nationwide policy that protects young people’s health.

  Harper said that unlike some other problems facing young people — including entrenched poverty and obesity — air pollution was relatively simple to address, if there was the political will.

  “The fact is that it is so needless, we can fix this — other things are more intractable — but this is something we can resolve,” he said.

  The British government has been widely criticized for its lack of action on air pollution.

  It has lost three court cases and is one of five nations that have been referred to Europe’s highest court for failing to tackle illegal levels of toxic air.

  “All children have the right to breathe clean air, and toxic air not only violates children’s right to breathe clean air, it also impacts on their future, and that is unacceptable,” Harper said.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    Napoli close in on title despite Parma stalemate

  • 2

    Palau president in Taiwan for first time since start of second term

  • 3

    ‘Beitou Shilin’ announced as new Nvidia office site

  • 4

    Kevin de Bruyne bids Manchester City farewell

  • 5

    Lai thanks Palau for support during presidential visit