Local campaigners lobby Councillors ahead of Air Quality Action Plan meeting

When Enfield Council published proposals for a new Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) last year, Enfield Climate Action Forum (EnCAF) submitted a ten page report [PDF here] as part of the consultation process. EnCAF  describe themselves as an action group created to ‘confront, tackle and adapt to the climate emergency.’

In the introduction to their report they spikily pointed that it was ‘very regrettable that the Council has failed to widely publicise this consultation… We are disappointed that it does not appear on your website under the Consultations section and that Enfield Climate Action Forum found out about it by chance (as it was a tiny item on the Pollution page of the council’s website).’

Now, a week before the council team meet again to receive a presentation on the Air Quality Action Plan, EnCAF have written to all councillors on the Forum to drawing attention to their earlier response and highlighting four main areas which they believe require urgent. These are:

• Improving the collection of data by increasing the number and type of air pollution monitoring devices. Data gathering is essential to developing an effective plan of action that considers all areas of the borough and their specific needs in terms of air quality. Better information and data will also contribute significantly to raising awareness among the public.
• The Key Recommendations to Councils from the GLA Local Authorities and Air Quality Report of January 2022, particularly ‘Meeting the interim WHO health-based target of 10ug/m3 by 2030 target for PM2.5 with an increased focus on non-transport emissions’
• The need to give high priority to areas of social and economic deprivation, in recognition of the well documented facts that air pollution tends to be higher in such areas and the multiple vulnerabilities of the affected communities.
• In order to tackle effectively air pollution in Enfield, there is an urgent need to allocate to this area of work more resources, both human and material. It is the only way to ensure that this public health crisis is given the much needed priority and attention.

We’ll keep you informed of how much of this well considered local imput is taken on board by the council.