07/09/2026
📊 Air pollution is linked to around 30,000 deaths a year in the UK, and toxic air is estimated to shorten the average person's life by almost two years.
As the world marks the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, too little progress has been made since our landmark 2025 report on the health challenges of modern air pollution.
The harm isn't limited to the lungs. Evidence links long-term exposure to conditions affecting the heart, brain, kidneys and liver, with impacts on childhood development, dementia risk and even fertility. Children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable.
Professor Sir Stephen Holgate CBE, RCP special adviser on air quality, said: 'Air pollution is one of the biggest threats to the nation's health... it must be treated as a public health crisis and tackled through coordinated government action.'
We're calling for:
✅ A clear UK pathway to meeting WHO 2021 air quality guidelines
✅ A funded, UK-wide public health campaign on air pollution risks
✅ Greater action on overlooked sources like agriculture, wood burning and indoor air quality
👉 Read the report: https://ow.ly/Et1V50ZKkC7
