A new report by the Clean Air Fund estimates that further investment in cleaning up London's air could prevent 44,000 premature deaths and add £2.2 billion to the capital's economy by 2050. The research, commissioned from CBI Economics and WSP, highlights the health and economic benefits of achieving net zero emissions through decarbonisation across transport, buildings, industry and power generation.
Health and economic gains concentrated in London
The Climate Change Committee has laid out a 'balanced pathway' to reach net zero by 2050, which the government has a legal duty to follow. The Clean Air Fund report says sticking to this target will yield significant benefits for London in particular, due to the city's elevated baseline pollution levels. Despite nitrogen dioxide pollution falling to within legal limits for the first time since records began last October, London's pollution levels remain far higher than other UK cities.
Recent figures from the Geographic Data Service show that all of the most polluted areas of the country are in London. An area in Camden covering parts of Holborn, St Giles, and Covent Garden is the most polluted neighbourhood nationally, with residents breathing in an annual average of nearly 21 micrograms of fine particulate matter and more than 34 micrograms of NO2. The World Health Organization recommends levels should not exceed an annual average of five micrograms of PM2.5 and 15 micrograms of NO2.
Predictive modelling shows significant improvements
The authors of the report said the 'clean air dividend' is more concentrated in London, meaning the city will see greater benefit from reducing emissions than other areas. Predictive modelling estimates that London will see 533,000 life-years gained, including nine million additional working days, boosting productivity.
Nick Smith, Clean Air Fund's Head of UK Portfolio, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We looked at if the UK follows through with their Net Zero plans, what the impact would be on air quality and then quantifying that in terms of air quality and health quality. There is a significant improvement shown to both health and the economy. It would improve workforce health, extend working lives and reduce illness-related absences. In London, we've found that there is a really significant impact due to high pollution levels, meaning it really feels the benefits."
Mayor's policies and progress
Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has made cleaning up London's air a key policy tenet during his decade in City Hall, implementing measures such as the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone, Congestion Charge and a push towards active travel and public transport. In 2016, leading experts at King’s College London estimated that without additional action it would take 193 years for London to meet legal NO2 limits, but City Hall brought levels down within nine years.
However, in May Sir Sadiq admitted that London would not be a net zero city by 2030, an aim laid out in 2020, partly due to a lack of devolved control over the capital's energy grid. Smith praised the Mayor's leadership but noted further action is needed: "The Mayor has shown really strong leadership on this issue and has delivered good results. That's due to a range of policies and measures, including ULEZ, which has been really transformative, and electrification of the bus and taxi fleet. He has also invested heavily in expanding cycling infrastructure. The public health outcomes are compelling.
Areas for further action
Smith added: "The job isn't done - there is still more that can be done, and pollution levels are still above safe levels. Where he could go further is with vans and freights - the uptake of electric vans has been slower than other types of vehicles. Wood burning also remains an issue in London, but that is difficult to control. City Hall and local authorities are limited in what they could do. We need to be mindful of that - we are seeing that these effects are happening, and are managing this. Further focus and action is needed."
A spokesperson for the Mayor told the LDRS: "The bold action taken by the Mayor in London has reduced pollution, improved public health, and saved lives. This report underlines the importance of improving air quality and supports the Mayor’s decision to expand ULEZ London-wide, where the evidence shows that it was crucial to protect the health and lives of Londoners. There is more work to do - long-term exposure to air pollution was still estimated to contribute to up to 5,100 premature deaths across London in 2024. The Mayor remains committed to taking bold action to tackle air pollution and to protect the health of all Londoners as we continue to build a greener, fairer city for everyone."
