Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to meet the EU’s nitrogen dioxide emissions target.

Rory Stewart

The UK currently meets the EU legal requirements for almost all pollutants, but we know there is still more to do and that the UK faces significant challenges in meeting EU requirements for nitrogen dioxide.

The national air quality plan, published in December last year, sets out a comprehensive approach for meeting the air quality challenges by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones. The plan combines targeted local and national measures, forming part of a wider approach that exploits new and clean technologies, such as electric and ultra-low emission vehicles.

The Government has committed over £2 billion since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, support green transport initiatives and support local authorities to take action.