Despite a raft of warnings from many bodies Defra continues to do very little to resolve the fundamentals issues surrounding air quality. ClientEarth who have a track record in bringing cases that force change in Government policy have issued a formal warning. The EFRA committee have already signalled their concern with an inquiry.

ClientEarth has launched a new legal challenge against the government over the UK’s continued failure to meet EU air pollution limits, the environmental group announced this morning (March 18

Calling time on Defra after previously issuing the Department with a 10-day warning to either commit to producing more ambitious air quality policies or be taken back to court, ClientEarth supporters staged a demonstration outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London today.

The demonstration also saw air quality readings taken on the traffic-heavy Strand by technology firm Air Monitors, which showed that levels of NO2 at around 75 microgrammes per cubic metre – almost double the annual mean legal limit of 40 ugm3.

ClientEarth believes the government is in breach of a Supreme Court order last year to produce a new air quality plan for the UK in order to meet EU objectives for nitrogen dioxide ‘in the shortest possible time’.

Don’t like the message – then kill the messenger and process – Government tries to make it harder for legal challenge protection to environmental.

Gove warned against cost plan for environmental cases

ClientEarth today warned Michael Gove that proposed changes to cost rules would intimidate people and prevent them going to court to protect the environment. In a letter to the Secretary of State for Justice, ClientEarth Chief Executive James Thornton said Gove’s proposals would make it too expensive and difficult for people to bring cases, stopping them taking action to challenge illegal environmental harm.