Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • The Actuary Issues
  • July 2017
07

Plans to tackle air pollution 'lack urgency'

Open-access content Thursday 27th July 2017 — updated 5.50pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

The UK’s government’s £3bn plans to tackle air pollution and emissions from vehicles have been described as “underwhelming” and “lacking in urgency”.

2

Announced yesterday, the proposals include a ban on new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040, and a requirement for local authorities to devise plans to improve air quality.

However ClientEarth CEO, James Thornton, believes this is simply a diversionary tactic, and fails to ensure that drivers of the most polluting vehicles are fined if they enter 'clean air zones'.

"The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' own evidence shows that charging clean air zones would be the swiftest way to tackle illegal levels of pollution," he said.

"Yet the government is passing the buck to local authorities to come up with their own schemes as an alternative to clean air zones which charge the most polluting vehicles to enter our towns and cities.

"This is little more than a shabby rewrite of the previous draft plans and is underwhelming and lacking in urgency."

The government says that poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, and that NO2 levels in the air are above legal limits in almost 90% of urban areas.

This is estimated to be responsible for approximately 23,500 early deaths in the UK each year, and cost the country £2.7bn through its impact on productivity.

Yesterday's plans include £255m in provision to help towns and cities implement plans to improve air quality, allowing them to bid for money from a new Clean Air Fund.

This could include changing road layouts, removing traffic lights and speed humps or upgrading bus fleets, while the government will also issue a consultation to gather views from those affected.

"We are determined to deliver a green revolution in transport and reduce pollution in our towns and cities," Transport secretary, Chris Grayling, said.

"We are taking bold action and want nearly every car and van on UK roads to be zero emission by 2050."

The government will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy next year to address other sources of air pollution.


Sign up to our free newsletter here and receive a weekly roundup of news concerning the actuarial profession

This article appeared in our July 2017 issue of The Actuary .
Click here to view this issue

You may also be interested in...

2

Record flexible pension withdrawals made

A record £1.86bn was taken out of pensions in the UK between April and June this year, according to the latest figures from HM Revenue and Customs.
Thursday 27th July 2017
Open-access content
2

Consumer confidence dips back to post-Brexit vote low

The UK population’s feelings about current and future economic conditions have fallen back to levels last seen in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote.
Friday 28th July 2017
Open-access content
2

Electric cars almost 50% more expensive to insure

UK drivers opting for electric cars are paying an average of 45% more to insure their vehicle than other motorists, according to research by comparethemarket.com.
Friday 28th July 2017
Open-access content
2

Banks far outperforming insurance industry for customer service

The insurance sector saw the third biggest increase in number of UK customers citing them among the worst for service over the last year.
Tuesday 25th July 2017
Open-access content
2

Pension crisis looms for UK women

British women are fast becoming a “high-risk” group when it comes to pensions, with 53% having less than £10,000 in their pot, compared with 34% of men.
Tuesday 25th July 2017
Open-access content
2

Largest renewable energy fund in UK breaks £1bn barrier

Strong demand from pension funds for long-term income from the renewable power asset class has seen the UK’s largest green fund reach £1.1bn in total commitments.
Tuesday 25th July 2017
Open-access content

Latest from July 2017

2

UK FinTech investment booms

Total FinTech investment in the UK reached $1.4bn (£1.07bn) in the second quarter of 2017, according to new research by KPMG.
Friday 4th August 2017
Open-access content
2

Self-employed fast becoming 'financial underclass'

The average self-employed person in the UK is falling far behind their full-time counterparts in terms of earnings, pensions, and insurance provision.
Friday 4th August 2017
Open-access content
2

Ageing society and migration limits present 'workforce crisis'

The number of workers aged over 50 in the UK economy grew by 230,000 between the first quarter of 2016 and the first three months of this year.
Thursday 3rd August 2017
Open-access content

Latest from small_opening_image

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from inline_local_link

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from 07

2

UK FinTech investment booms

Total FinTech investment in the UK reached $1.4bn (£1.07bn) in the second quarter of 2017, according to new research by KPMG.
Friday 4th August 2017
Open-access content
2

Self-employed fast becoming 'financial underclass'

The average self-employed person in the UK is falling far behind their full-time counterparts in terms of earnings, pensions, and insurance provision.
Friday 4th August 2017
Open-access content
2

Ageing society and migration limits present 'workforce crisis'

The number of workers aged over 50 in the UK economy grew by 230,000 between the first quarter of 2016 and the first three months of this year.
Thursday 3rd August 2017
Open-access content
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Investment Consultant

Scotland / Scotland, Edinburgh / London, England
Up to £70000.00 per annum
Reference
148689

Market Risk Capital Actuary/Quant

London (Central)
£65,000 - £115,000 plus bonus and package
Reference
148688

Experience Analysis Contractor

England
Negotiable
Reference
148687
See all jobs »
 
 
 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ