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Air Quality Forum
The establishment of an Air Quality Forum was proposed by the Department of the Environment, bringing together representatives of all interests, to ensure that implementation of the National Air Quality Strategy is carefully monitored and reviewed, and that future priorities are identified in preparation for the first review. We support the idea of such a forum; and believe its membership should include bodies involved in nature conservation and, to complement the medical advice available from COMEAP, the scientific members should include some with knowledge of UNECE's work programme on the natural environment (2.24).
- The Government welcomes the Royal Commission's support for the Forum. Government proposals for taking this forward were announced in February 1998. The Forum has already met twice and will meet again in November 1998. Under its terms of reference, the Forum provides a mechanism by which stakeholders can put views to the Government on the review of the National Air Quality Strategy and progress on local air quality management. It is a forum for the exchange of ideas and information rather than a policy-making body. In order to keep the operation of the Forum manageable, Ministers decided it should comprise around 30 members representing organisations with a broad interest in air quality issues, including the National Trust. The Government recognises that other bodies will have an interest in the work of the Forum and should be able to have an input. Therefore all Forum papers are circulated to a much wider list of organisations - currently around 100 other bodies, which include environmental conservation groups such as the Royal Society for Nature Conservation.
- At it's first meeting, the Forum discussed the Air Quality Daughter Directive's proposed limit values for the protection of ecosystems and vegetation, since adopted at the June Council of European Environment Ministers. Forum members and those on the wider list were invited to put forward their views on extending the National Air Quality Strategy to cover ecosystems and vegetation. Views received so far have been in favour. The Department will ensure that the Forum will include at least one person with detailed knowledge of the UNECE work in the field of the natural environment.
On balance, we believe it is justifiable to set separate, and challenging, targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from UK transport. This is partly because of the scale of the reductions in total carbon dioxide emissions now being seen as necessary and partly because the development of more energy-efficient transport technologies will also have benefits for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in other countries (2.39).
- Following the Kyoto climate change conference in December 1997, the UK has a legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5% below 1990 levels by the period 2008 to 2012. This means a reduction equivalent to 27 million tonnes of carbon. The Government also has a domestic aim to reduce CO2 emissions in the UK to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. The Government will consult soon on options to meet its legally binding target and help move towards its domestic aim. The consultation will present an opportunity to assess savings from the transport sector in relation to measures which could be taken in other sectors. The balance of the Government's climate change programme will be considered in the light of public debate and responses during the consultation period.
One route towards reducing average fuel consumption would be a trend towards smaller cars with lighter engines and less equipment.... In the absence of Government-induced changes, however, it seems unlikely that swings in customer preference could in themselves have a large beneficial impact on average fuel consumption, and more likely that the previous move up-market will continue, leading to increased sales of four-wheel drive vehicles and 'multi- purpose vehicles' (2.42).
(Fuel consumption is discussed in the next section.)
Published 23 December 1998
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