2degrees network

2:00 p.m. (BST) / 9:00 a.m. (EDT)
16th July 2010

Low Carbon Local Authorities & Sustainable Communities working group

Daniel Instone, Deputy Director, Atmosphere and Local Environment Programme, DEFRA Dr Tim Chatterton, Air Quality Management Resource Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol Simon Cousins, Environment Programme Officer, GLA

Tackling air quality is beneficial to health and the environment and improving air quality is an important focus of the work of environmental and pollution control teams. However, some of the measures to reduce climate emissions such as switching to diesel vehicles and the installation of biomass boilers are recognised as having a negative impact on air quality. Local authorities are increasingly addressing the climate change challenge with the adoption of renewable technologies, but at what cost to air quality? How can the transition to a low carbon economy be managed to ensure it doesn’t have an unintended negative impact on health and the environment? Measures to tackle air quality are not necessarily the easiest or cheapest to implement, but when considered alongside their benefits to climate and health become more favourable. Join this webinar to explore synergies and conflicts in addressing carbon reduction and air quality.