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150 Experts Urge Inquiry on Unequal Air Pollution
19 Oct
Summary
- Lower-income areas face higher air pollution levels than wealthier ones.
- Minority-ethnic populations experience about 6% higher pollution exposure.
- Over 200,000 children hospitalized with breathing issues in 2025.
A coalition of 150 scientists, MPs, and activists has called for a government inquiry into the disproportionate effects of air pollution. Research indicates that lower-income areas in England persistently endure higher pollution levels compared to affluent neighborhoods. Furthermore, minority-ethnic populations face approximately 6% greater exposure to these harmful emissions than white populations.
Despite air pollution being linked to serious health issues like heart disease, strokes, cancer, and asthma, the UK lacks a specific mechanism to tackle these health inequalities. While progress has been made in reducing pollution in cities such as London, concerningly, illegal levels of air pollution were still recorded in parts of London, Glasgow, and Bristol as of 2025.
This plea for action intensifies with new data showing over 200,000 children were hospitalized with breathing difficulties across 11 English cities in 2025. Younger children, including over 120,000 babies and toddlers, were particularly affected. This situation is described as an "air pollution emergency," with calls for robust monitoring and stringent targets to cut particle exposure.
