Emissions from diesel engines have higher impact than previously estimated

Abby Young-Powell writes on the Deutsche Welle website about a recent report that documents evidence that the impact from diesel emissions is higher and more deadlier than previously estimated.   New analysis reveals deadly scale of diesel emissions The amount of illegal and unreported nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel cars, trucks and buses may be … Continue reading Emissions from diesel engines have higher impact than previously estimated

Is air quality affecting house prices?

As we see our cities tackling air pollution, we understandably first turn to the health of their citizens. Katie Morley writes in The Telegraph about another concern, the impact on house prices. Have you experienced this?   High pollution is reducing house prices by 15pc as buyers reject 'unhealthy' homes Property listings will include traffic … Continue reading Is air quality affecting house prices?

Better understanding how polluting our cars are

Almost daily we are reading about the emissions coming from vehicles and what they are doing to our air quality and health. Paul Nieuwenhuis, Senior Lecturer and Co-Director, Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence (EVCE) at Cardiff University, writes a reviewed article on the Conversation website comparing diesel and petrol vehicles.   Are diesel cars really … Continue reading Better understanding how polluting our cars are

How one polluted London road raises many of the issues to tackling urban air pollution

When I am in London, I often run along Marylebone Road, but I do it on a Sunday morning when the air is relatively clear. Dave Hill writes an important article in The Guardian about the efforts underway to address the urban air pollution issues.   'Filthy glamour': could polluted Marylebone Road help fix London's … Continue reading How one polluted London road raises many of the issues to tackling urban air pollution

Building Britain’s Houses of Parliament led to speed up of environmental laws

A 19th century fire led to the re-construction of the iconic Palace of Westminster. Timothy Hyde, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology writes on The Conversation website about how the quality of the air led to a quick decay of the building materials before it was even complete. This led to … Continue reading Building Britain’s Houses of Parliament led to speed up of environmental laws

With air pollution so bad, China knows it has to turn to sustainable energy

This winter, many of China’s cities have experienced historic levels of smog. This is definitely making policy makers focus on important remedies. The Christian Science Monitor provides a good account of China’s recently announced renewable energy plan.   Can China’s new $360B renewable energy plan stop 'Airpocalypse'? Chinese officials rolled out a detailed plan this … Continue reading With air pollution so bad, China knows it has to turn to sustainable energy

Tapping into all ideas to address urban air problems

Soon, experts will be demonstrating the use of jet engines to blow out the smog from Delhi. Will it work? Time will tell. Soutik Biswas writes about recent developments on the BBC News website. But those emissions won’t just disappear, one would assume. Is this a realistic long-term solution?   Can jet engines clean up … Continue reading Tapping into all ideas to address urban air problems

Concerns that smoke-free cookstoves are not having the health benefits once thought

The energy transition means different things to different people. Many in developing countries depend on basic cookstoves. There are efforts to improve the efficiency and reduce emissions but a recent study shows that the quality of the cookstove is not making as much difference as once thought. Victoria Gill explains on the BBC website.   … Continue reading Concerns that smoke-free cookstoves are not having the health benefits once thought

Health agency calls for more serious efforts to reduce urban air pollution

Every week we are reading more and more about the harmful impact of air pollution. Now health experts in Britain are calling on local authorities to take more active efforts through the use of variable speed limits, removal of speed bumps and ‘no idling’ zones near schools amongst many other recommendations. Kevin Rawlinson provides a … Continue reading Health agency calls for more serious efforts to reduce urban air pollution

Coming to grips with air pollution in Europe

Air pollution has significant impacts on the health of Europeans, particularly in urban areas, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). While air quality is slowly improving, air pollution remains the single largest environmental health hazard in Europe, resulting in a lower quality of life due to illnesses and an estimated … Continue reading Coming to grips with air pollution in Europe