Health sector sent strong message to government that we need to act on air pollution
The highly anticipated new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) launched on Clean Air Day 2025, reiterating that there is no safe level of air pollution for our health. It highlights how air pollution negatively impacts our health at every stage of our lives and exposure in early life can lead to ill health later on. The RCP estimates that costs for healthcare, productivity losses and reduced quality of life due to air pollution cost the UK more than £27 billion annually.
To coincide with the report launch, nearly 500 health sector representatives signed our open letter calling on the UK Government to bring air quality targets in line with World Health Organization guidelines – the global standard for protecting public health.
Over 75 health professionals, patients and campaigners, including Breathe London sensor holders, walked from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Parliament Square to deliver this letter to cross-party MPs, in an event organised by Global Action Plan in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Health Equals, with support from the Ella Roberta Foundation.
The walk was joined by Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy Mete Coban MBE, and was met by Baroness Jenny Jones, Uma Kumaran MP, Sarah Coombes MP, Rachel Blake MP, Sian Berry MP, Brian Mathew MP, Joe Powell MP, Fleur Anderson MP and Ellie Chowns MP. It was covered live by Women’s Hour and BBC London.
Health professionals and campaigners also gathered in other cities to show their support for the letter, including in Manchester at an event led by Mums for Lungs, and campaigners in Birmingham highlighting the letter through an event at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital organised by the Clean Air Justice Network.