OUR AIR, OUR VOICES
At Asthma + Lung UK, we are fighting for everyone's right to breathe clean air. But while everyone is exposed to air pollution, its harms are not felt equally. Communities from lower-income and ethnically minoritised backgrounds are often exposed to higher levels of pollution, experience worse health outcomes, and are often directly or indirectly excluded from influencing decisions that could protect them.
OUR AIR, OUR VOICES is Asthma + Lung UK's latest report and our first attempt to adopt an inclusive policy development approach to clean air policy. Working with young Londoners aged 16-24, especially those disproportionately impacted by air pollution, we have co-produced fair and effective clean air policies.
Why voices matter
In recent years, misinformation and poor communication of policy goals have opened up space for the erosion of trust in government. Air pollution has not been immune to this, often becoming a polarised and poorly understood issue in public debate.
When policy is not seen to be fair, or is delivered in ways that feel inequitable, trust declines.
Effective air quality action therefore needs public buy-in. This report demonstrates that involving communities in policy-making from the outset can rebuild trust, improve understanding, and lead to better outcomes.
Three steps towards fairer and healthier air
This report brings together a wide range of recommendations shaped by the breadth of discussions with young Londoners. At its core, it calls on government to act in three key areas:
- Commit to legally binding air quality targets aligned with the 2021 World Health Organization guidelines, to better protect public health.
- Deliver a national campaign to raise the public’s awareness of the health harms of air pollution.
- Improve clean air policy by involving those most impacted by air pollution in its creation.
Weak targets and low public awareness have allowed air pollution to remain a silent killer for too long. Without meaningful involvement of communities, there is a risk that government is not held to account and continues to act unambitiously. Clean air policy must rise to meet the scale of the injustice it seeks to address.
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If you have a story to tell about how toxic air has impacted you, or your loved ones please get in touch. By sharing the real human impact of toxic air, we can help more people understand it and campaign for change and make sure your voice gets heard.