Reflecting on what Volkswagen’s errors means in human terms

We cannot just take enforcement lapses casually. What Volkswagen did to deceive the enforcement system has serious implications to our health, as discussed by Margot Sanger-Katz and John Schwartz in the New York Times. Assessing the Human Toll of Volkswagen’s Diesel Deception Volkswagen’s diesel deception unleashed tons of extra pollutants in the United States, … Continue reading Reflecting on what Volkswagen’s errors means in human terms →

Tackling air pollution through a tower that sucks in dirty air

We live in an age when technological developments are happening at an ever-rapid pace. Elisabeth Braw writes in The Guardian about a seven metre tall tower that filters dirty air, releasing bubbles of smog free air. The author questions, however, whether this detracts from tackling the causes of air pollution. What do you think? … Continue reading Tackling air pollution through a tower that sucks in dirty air →

Pollution Revolution

Hope you enjoy this excellent graphic that is from Ghergich & Co. together with CustomMade. How to Combat Air Pollution Air pollution has a variety of contributors from stationary sources, like factories and power plants, to natural sources, like forest fires and dust storms. Air pollution has been shown to have a direct link … Continue reading Pollution Revolution →

Impact of proposed new air pollution limits in Europe

Arthur Neslen writes in the Guardian about a new study commissioned by Greenpeace and the European Environment Bureau about concerns that likely weakened air pollution standards that are currently in draft form will have a serious impact in Europe. It would be good if anyone has more information on the likelihood of these plans being … Continue reading Impact of proposed new air pollution limits in Europe →

Air pollution raising alarm bells

Any of you living in Europe’s major cities has probably already been affected by health alerts about the high levels of dangerous emissions. Fiona Harvey writes an important article in The Guardian about what this is costing us in terms of early deaths and disease. She shows that the costs of dirty air are equivalent … Continue reading Air pollution raising alarm bells →

The blame game underway for Delhi’s air pollution crisis

Every week we are hearing about the serious air pollution facing cities on all continents. Already this year we have had major alerts in Paris and London, in major Chinese cities and Delhi and other Indian cities. Indian capital’s toxic air is by some measures the world’s dirtiest, writes Amy Kazmin in the Financial Times, … Continue reading The blame game underway for Delhi’s air pollution crisis →

Increased concerns about urban pollution in New Delhi

There is only recent awareness of the problems in New Delhi that we are well aware of in cities such as Beijing. Gardiner Harris writes in the New York Times of this growing awareness. Delhi Wakes Up to an Air Pollution Problem It Cannot Ignore For years, this sprawling city on the Yamuna River … Continue reading Increased concerns about urban pollution in New Delhi →

Most British buses are below EU emission standards

Jane Wild explains in the Financial Times that bus companies have found loopholes to buy cheaper, dirtier buses, thus circumventing EU standards. It is worrying because as Wild reports, the finding will add to the UK’s poor record on air quality, with other European countries having already acted to close similar loopholes. UK buses … Continue reading Most British buses are below EU emission standards →

Vehicle emissions tests to reflect reality better

It is never easy to fully model real conditions for emissions tests but, according to Arthur Neslen in The Guardian, the European Commission is going to require tests that are comparable to when driving on roads and in traffic rather than in ideal laboratory-like conditions. Car makers face 'real world' emissions tests in EU … Continue reading Vehicle emissions tests to reflect reality better →

Comparing air pollution levels around the world

The New York Times has a service called The Upshot that undertakes targeted news analysis, data visualisations, commentary and historical context. Recently Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman professor of economics at the University of Chicago, who heads the Energy Policy Institute, wrote an analysis about comparing the pollution challenges globally. It does provide some interesting … Continue reading Comparing air pollution levels around the world →