Global Action Plan hosts Parliamentary reception on domestic wood burning
Anisah Khan,
Parliamentary Campaigns Manager
Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Global Action Plan hosted an event in Parliament to talk to policymakers about the need to phase out domestic burning in urban areas by 2030.
With this new government comes key moments to influence action on air quality in the Environment Improvement Plan, Air Quality Strategy and across the public health missions.
Global Action Plan were delighted to welcome cross-party MPs and Lords to our Parliamentary Reception sponsored by Afzal Khan MP, in partnership with Heatlh Equals, and shine a light on the negative impacts of wood burning.
This was a chance to present Global Action Plan's policy pathway, funded by Impact on Urban Health, to phase out air pollution from domestic burning in urban areas by 2030, created in collaboration with leading academics, clean air experts and local councils. It can be found here.
Policy makers heard speeches from Hazel Agombar, volunteer for Mums for Lungs and clean air campaigner who shared her experiences of living in a woodsmoke air pollution hot spot.
They learned from Rohit Chakroborty from the UKHSA about the health impacts caused by woodburning. Larissa Lockwood, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Global Action Plan then outlined action the Government can take to combat these issues. Afzal Khan MP for Manchester Rusholme and Clean Air Champion closed the event and spoke about how air pollution affects people in his local area.
Parliamentarians who came to our event include Irene Campbell MP, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Lord Randall of Uxbridge, Angus MacDonald MP, Christine Jardin MP, Dawn Butler MP, Ruth Jones MP and Afzal Khan MP as well as staff members from several other MPs offices. Additionally, it was great to have representation from Health Equals, Impact on Urban Health, Clean Air Foundation, Camden Council, SERA and Mums for Lungs.
Anisah Khan, Parliamentary Campaigns Manager at Global Action Plan said: “It was great to have such interest and cross-party attendance at our Parliamentary Reception to discuss the need to phase out domestic burning in urban areas by 2030 to address air pollution. Issues caused by air pollution must be addressed in a fair and measured way. We showcased our evidence based and public tested research showing them which policies can be implemented to do this.”
Larissa Lockwood, Director of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan said: “Largely driven by a rise in urban homes installing wood burning stoves, domestic burning is now one of the biggest sources of toxic fine particle air pollution in the UK and has become a public health problem.
A relatively small proportion of people burn wood – and the vast majority of those who choose to do in our towns and cities so have another form of heating – but the health impacts are felt by everyone.
This is a clear equity issue that should be addressed urgently by the UK government. We have developed a mix of policy recommendations with experts that if implemented together would effectively phase out air pollution from domestic burning in urban areas by 2030. We look forward to working with policymakers to ensure that ambitious action is taken to tackle this burning issue.”
To find out more about the impacts of wood burning on your health and the planet visit the Clean Air Hub.