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UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, David R. Boyd, spoke to Global Action Plan's Désirée Abrahams about Clean Air Day, the ULEZ and other low emission zones, Ella's Law and everyone's right to clean air.

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If you prefer to read rather than watch, the transcription is here:

Désirée: Hi, David. It's really good to see you today. I hope you're well.

David: Yeah, Thanks very much. Glad to be joining you, Désirée.

Désirée: Good. And I hear that it's Clean Air Day in Canada today. 

David: It is Clean Air Day, although ironically, we have massive forest fires across the country. So there's a lot of very poor air quality across Canada and the United States today because of the fires. 

Désirée: Yeah, I was reading about that and I hear that it's hitting New York City as well and people can't see the Statue of Liberty. 

David: Right. It's really quite dramatic. And then the sky is kind of the sky is kind of smoggy and the sun is... it's kind of an orangey red colour. 

Désirée: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. So, you know, I'm hoping that soon it's going to go. And, you know, I know today it's the 7th of June, but we are marking our Clean Air Day next week in the UK. And I know that's the reason that you decided to join us today. And thank you for your time.

David: Oh, it's a pleasure. 

Désirée: Yeah, so really today, you know,  today, I just wanted to ask you about government interventions and specifically we've got one coming up soon at the local level. So at the London regional level called the ultra low emission zone, and that's due to be expanded in August 29th. I'm sure you've heard about it. 

David: Yes, I definitely have. 

Désirée: Yeah, exactly. And in your role as special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, I just wanted to get your take on what you felt about government interventions like this from that human rights and environmental lens and you know, how effective or not you think that they are. 

David: Well, let me just begin by saying I strongly believe that every person everywhere has the right to breathe clean air. And last year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution recognising that there is a human right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a resolution which the government of the United Kingdom supported. So that's the first thing.

And then in terms of government actions, I mean, it's critical that we have government actions to improve air quality in every country on earth because there's no country that is currently breathing air that meets the World Health Organization standards for air quality. And so the actions that governments can take range from strengthening national standards, implementing and enforcing those standards to really important actions at the local level, such as these ultra low emission zones that have existed in part of London for some time, and which the Government is proposing to expand. 

Désirée: Yes, I agree. I absolutely agree. And I want to know also if you have a take on, on other countries and if they've kind of explored initiatives like the ULEZ we call it the ULEZ here, and if you feel that they've also been effective in addressing air quality. 

David: Yeah, it's a good question. In fact, I was just reading a scientific article the other day that was examining the effectiveness of these ultra low emission zones in various cities around the world. And these researchers came to the very clear conclusion that, yes, these zones do work, they do improve air quality and therefore improve human health and protect people's right to a healthy environment. So it's definitely a useful tool. I think it's really important to say that expanding these zones is important because what we have found is that while there's improved air quality within the zone, there's actually a deterioration of air quality outside the zone. And so that's really an unjust situation. And so it's going back to what I said at the outset, everyone has the right to breathe clean air and not just people who live in the centre of these big cities. 

Désirée: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I think, you know, even the wildfires today in Canada and the fact that it's been traveling to America and New York is testament to the fact that pollution is traveling and therefore if we have wider and bigger interventions, then more people are going to be protected. 

David: Yeah, absolutely right. So there's things that can be done at the national level. I mentioned air quality standards, but also improving types of improving standards for fuel, fuel contents or sulfur content of fuel. Taking policy measures to reduce the attractiveness of diesel vehicles. I'm always struck as a Canadian when I visit European cities by the smell in the air, and it's because Europe for many years encouraged the sale of diesel vehicles, which in retrospect was a was a policy choice that has cost lives throughout the European Union. And diesels continue to be a heavy source of air pollution in many European cities. 

Désirée: Yeah, unfortunately, that that remains the case. So just before we close off, David, do you have any other insights that you'd like to share on maybe what's happening at the EU level or other parts of the world? 

David: Sure. A couple of things I'll say. One is that there is an ongoing process of strengthening the European Union's air quality standards, which of course the UK, having exited the European Union. Those standards won't apply in the UK, but the UK has taken some positive steps in terms of strengthening its air quality standards. Not as strong as we might like because they haven't strengthened them to be following the World Health Organization guidelines, but they're moving in that direction.

But I also would like to say that there is currently a bill before Parliament in the UK called the Clean Air Human Rights Bill, also known as Ella's Law, which is named after this beautiful British child who died because of air pollution almost a decade ago. And I really would encourage the government of the UK to change its position and to actually support the passage of that law because it would result in a number of positive changes for air quality for everyone living in the UK and potentially prevent the tens of thousands of deaths that are occurring every year because of air pollution in your country. 

Désirée: Yeah, I absolutely agree, David and I know Rosamund, and I know she's going to be very pleased and happy to hear that. So so thank you for those comments and thank you for your time today. 

David: My pleasure.  And I really wish you well. Thanks very much Désirée and keep up the good work in promoting clean air for everyone in the UK.