This statement fulfils the requirement under section 80A of Environment Act 1995, to update Parliament on the progress and steps taken to meet air quality standards and objectives in England over financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Air quality across the UK has shown sustained improvement over recent decades with emissions of all key air pollutants showing a declining trend. These long- term reductions mean the UK has met the current domestic and international emission reduction commitments for emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, non-methane volatile organic compounds and fine particulate matter—PM2.5.
This progress matters for people’s everyday lives: cleaner air helps protect health, supports thriving neighbourhoods and contributes to the Government’s ambition to improve pride in place. Cleaner air also supports sustainable economic growth by helping people stay healthier and in work, improving productivity and making our towns and cities more attractive places to live, visit and invest in.
Protecting public health and the environment remains at the heart of our approach. PM2.5 is the most harmful pollutant to human health. Under the Environment Act 2021, we are delivering against two separate Environment Act 2021 targets for PM2.5—one to reduce maximum PM2.5 concentration levels and one for reducing the population’s overall exposure. In 2024, the maximum PM2.5 concentration level measured was 11 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Separately, PM2.5 population exposure in England has reduced by 25% compared with 2018.
In the environmental improvement plan 2025, the Government increased the ambition of both PM2.5 interim targets. We will review the 2040 statutory targets for PM2.5.
We are also seeing progress locally. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of air quality management areas for nitrogen dioxide fell from 435 to 352, a 19% reduction, as locations achieved sustained compliance with the standards and objectives. Nitrogen dioxide exceedances reported by local authorities fell again in 2024, continuing a downward trend.
Building on this strong progress, we are continuing to take ambitious and targeted action across key sectors to meet our air quality standards and objectives, including:
Clarifying delivery priorities through a rapid review and revision of the environmental improvement plan setting out clear, measurable actions.
Embedding PM2.5 targets into planning decisions through interim guidance and we have launched a pilot to trial more comprehensive guidance with planning authorities and developers.
Strengthening public communication by acting on an expert-led review to make air quality part of everyday conversations and commenced work on an air quality communications toolkit for directors of public health. This included establishing a new partnership bringing together communicators from the Government, healthcare professionals, and the NGO sector.