"Britain has been sent a final warning to comply with EU air pollution limits for nitrogen dioxide or face a case at the European Court," The Guardian reported the story in February 2017.
A previous warning had been sent to the UK government in 2010 — I was studying a Master in Journalism when the story made the headlines, and based my final project on the news. I created the Londonair website, a multimedia news coverage about air pollution featuring stories told by Londoners, local authorities, and scientists. (Watch video for a glimpse of the original website)
The Londonair website revealed facts about the UK breaching EU Air Quality laws. Some of the issues that contributed to the poor air quality in London at the time are still present. This website revisits the multimedia project I produced seven years ago, and I hope it helps to raise awareness of this public health issue.
The Londonair multimedia project is a flash-based website still online but not longer working due to lack of browser compatibility. Follow the links below to watch the stories as they were produced.
Thousands of people are estimated to die prematurely every year in London due to long-term exposure to air pollution, a report from the Mayor of London revealed. Despite a variety of strategies to clean the air in the UK capital, London breaches EU Air Quality laws.
How bad is the air quality in the city? Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians say it's not too good in London. They feel it in every breath they take.
The UK government applied for a time extension to comply with EU Air Quality laws. The Mayor of London has said he is confident of meeting these pollution standards in 2011. Some Assembly Members and environmental leaders dismiss the Mayor's statement as "wishful thinking".
Data gathered from air quality monitoring sites allows scientists to track concentrations of airborne pollutants near the roads across London. Research has shown links between air pollution and premature deaths.
Share this page!