London

by georgia jarmolkiewicz

back -ground info 

Location - Southeast england, east of redding, north of croydon

Population size - 8.539 million

Main industries - creative, media, technology and manufacturing industries, however the financial industry dominates all in the city of London. 

Contributors to air pollution in London - buses, cars and lorries. London is a heavily populated, busy, jam packed city dominated by driven vehicles. Despite the famously good train+underground system, london's pollution levels are still dangerously high

did you know?  28,000 people die prematurely from air pollution in the UK every year

WHO IS AFFECTED?

Those living in central London are the most affected, especially in:

City of London - 100% over European legal limit
Westminster - 100% over European legal limit
Kensington and Chelsea - 100% over European legal limit
Camden - 100% over European legal limit
Tower Hamlets - 97% over European legal limit

Also, young children, elderly, those working outside especially in construction or roadside, or anyone with asthma is at the highest risk of being affected by pollution

 

how is london itself affected?

Economically

-As the tourist highlight of the country, heavy smog can  damage England's tourism industry

-High levels of pollution allows black cab + car + transport companies to thrive

-Farms outside the city often suffer due to the chemicals released 

Socially

-Smog is inconvenient when driving, can cause accidents

-Risk in respiratory-related health issues and pollution related deaths (approx. 3,400-4,500 per year)

Environmentally

-Water is often very contaminated 

-Countrywide, water quality and greenery is affected

-Slowly becomes harder to grow good food

 

WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT?

-The UN has set pollution limits and required that the UK have a place in plan by December 2015 to reduce pollution

-diesel scrappage scheme put in place

-introduce an Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in 2020 that will make the most polluting HGVs and coaches charged £100 to enter.

-The first fully electric double decker bus will enter service in October

-one by one bus routes are beginning to be run by electric buses instead

-Last week, 195 countries met in Paris to make an historic agreement to fight climate change, aiming to abandon fossil fuels this century and to limit global warming to 2°c.

Almost all London boroughs failed EU air pollution limit for toxic NO2 gas except for 2 out of the 32

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/12055618/How-does-Londons-air-pollution-compare-to-other-cities.html

 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/18/kolkata-london-air-pollution-kills-indian-cities

 

http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/lahome.asp

 

http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/nowcast.asp

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/12055618/How-does-Londons-air-pollution-compare-to-other-cities.html