In an open letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, activist group Enact Equality called on ministers to “take decisive and immediate action to confront one of the most urgent, yet persistently under-reported justice issues” across the UK.
They wrote: “This is not just an environmental issue. It is a racial justice issue. It is a social justice issue. And it is a public health emergency.”
The letter cited research from the University of York showing people in the most deprived groups across England are more likely to live in areas with the highest levels of air pollution.
Dr Sarah Moller, from the University of York’s Department of Chemistry and National Centre for Atmospheric Science, said: “The inequalities in the distribution of emissions are particularly significant for nitrogen oxides.
“People experiencing the highest levels of deprivation often live closest to major roads, and in areas of high housing density. Densely populated areas expose residents to pollutants created by combustion from heating.”
The campaign group, which has been backed by dozens of MPs and peers, called for a boost in investment in green transport as well as more green spaces and wider access to nature.
It also urged the Government to introduce stronger laws, clearer targets and better air quality monitoring.
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L’myah Sherae, chief executive of Enact Equality, called for a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss how environmental policy can better reflect the lived experiences of marginalised communities.
She said: “People of colour and low-income communities are paying the highest price for toxic air – with their health, their futures and their lives.
“The Government must act and we are ready to work with them to drive that change.”
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, said: “Air pollution is yet another example of how inequality plays out in our everyday lives.
“It’s no coincidence that black and brown communities, low-income families, and frontline workers are the ones most exposed to toxic air.
“The Government must act – not just with words but real investment in clean transport, green spaces, and fairer policies that protect those most affected”
Sian Berry, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, added: “Air pollution is a social justice issue.
“It hits hardest in communities who have done the least to cause it.
“The Government must commit to these clear and reasonable demands for cleaner transport, greener spaces and stronger protections.”
The PA News Agency has approached DEFRA for comment.
