Cameron ignores pollution crisis

vehicle miles are rising, not falling

The difficulty is the type of particulates given off by diesel engines. These are not being regulated enough and have risen overall as diesel engine takeup has accelerated. In addition, vehicle miles are rising, not falling, so even if engines are much less polluting and more efficient, the overall output of particulates remains very high. London regularly breaks the guidelines for particulate levels.

Levels yesterday in parts of the country were actually as high as those typically recorded in Beijing.

A mask costs a few pence. Saving the environment costs a few billion quid.

Mainly due to dust from the Sahara?

Seriously? What a jessie.

There's been a lot of news updates this evening coming from experts who are attributing most of it to vehicle emissions from northern Europe with only a minor element attributable to Saharan dust. Cameron's claim earlier that it was all to do with the Sahara and freak weather was a deception and I suspect a deliberate one.

Right everybody, the fact that things are worse in China does not mean things are fine here. This does highlight the issue, but in fact around 13,000 people die each year due to air pollution (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es2040416).

Those of you complaining that doing anything will be bad for the economy seem to be ignoring the impact which not doing anything may have; we all have to pay to sort out the problems due to increase NHS costs, decreased worker productivity, etc. Obviously we do have to weigh this up against the positive effects, but to suggest we don't even consider it is ridiculous.

Unfortunately - and this has been my thinking for a long time, people aren't willing to make the sacrifices needed to alleviate climate change. They will do so once it's too late or something disastrous happens.

“If you believe the economy is more important than the environment, try holding your breath while you count your money.”

Air pollution reached 9/10 across large areas of Britain today and even 10 in some. The highest level and dangerous to human health.

The main cause is that stable air has allowed vehicle exhaust pollution, mainly from diesel engines from all over Europe, to gather. Saharan dust has been added, but the main cause is Europe-wide diesel exhaust emission.

This morning Cameron brushed it aside as 'a natural weather phenomenon'. He is saying this because he does not want politically to take on the driving lobby. Yet we must.

This is also strong evidence for why we need Europe-wide institutions. The EU have laid down strong anti-pollution initiatives - the UK is repeatedly breaching them.

The story from China and other badly polluted areas shows that this problem is not going to go away and is likely to worsen over time. The number of polluted days will increase and the intensity will increase.

Thank goodness it is going to be relieved tomorrow by fresh winds, but we need more from our politicians that EU-bashing or refusing to lead because this or that lobby says stick your heads in the sand and do nothing.

if its europe wide we cant really solve it.

Unfortunately - and this has been my thinking for a long time, people aren't willing to make the sacrifices needed to alleviate climate change. They will do so once it's too late or something disastrous happens. It's a problem that will not affect this generation, but an unknown one that hasn't been born yet.

Most people don't care, myself included. If I have to make major sacrifices I'm not interested. Smart changes where there's little personal or financial impact I do partake in like recycling and turning lights off, cycling when it's dry instead of getting the bus etc. but some of the proposals made by the OP are insane.

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The two largest economies in the world (USA and China) are equally the largest global polluters in the world. It is mostly linked to their economic growth and so of course Cameron, being a Tory will favour the economic needs rather than the social and environmental needs. It's why I hate him but also like him. It's a fact that we have to get in our heads, if we want a growing and strong economy on the world stage we got to forget the damage done in the process.

I originally thought like you and was very opposed to the pollution increase over the last century but have come to accept there is no point giving a crap and I should just take advantage of a decent economy and make money out of it.

Do you really think we can live in a perfect world that suits our economic needs while also protecting out environmental needs? It doesn't make sense, it's one or the other

While it may be a depressing perspective of things, I can certainly say I am much happier now. I focus on having fun and living as we only live once. We have to be honest with ourselves, with the growing world population, a continual move to a western type world( each person takes up masses of space and uses lots of energy) and majority focus on economic growth, there is no hope for the environment. We will keep building, using energy and growing until we starve our recourses then move to another planet ( lol I'm sure it will happen). That's what humans did initially, they expanded their populations until we reach a point most of the world is populated like now. We will eventually destroy the earth, it's inevitable and I'd love to say I disagree but I'm not living with false hope. Just live life to the fullest I say instead of fighting for an impossible future

On the contrary I believe the environment is very important compared to the economy, it's just my personal opinion means nothing. We live in a world where money will always be the greatest desire for people and too few actually place the environmental conditions above their wallet. The people at the top of politics, business and significant organisations either disregard any proof for climate change, admit it exists but only give bullsh*t on the matter or give a small commitment to the cause which amounts to nothing and is purely to avoid carbon fines and meet regulatory policies. It's a joke and you can fight it but by judging the statistics it's had minimal effect. This is why I choose to not burden myself with the task of giving a crap

Most people don't care, myself included. If I have to make major sacrifices I'm not interested. Smart changes where there's little personal or financial impact I do partake in like recycling and turning lights off, cycling when it's dry instead of getting the bus etc. but some of the proposals made by the OP are insane.

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