London wants to breathe cleaner air

The call ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ, its acronym in English) will be expanded, from August 29th, to cover the 9 million inhabitants of Greater London, said the mayor.

The ULEZ has already proven to be “transformative”, said Khan, and its expansion will mean “5 million more people will be able to breathe cleaner air”.

The day before, Khan announced his intention to keep London at the forefront of the electric vehicle “revolution” by adding 100 ultra-fast charging points. According to the city hall, there are already more than 11 charging points in the city, one for every four electric vehicles.

Petrol vehicles manufactured before 2006 and diesel vehicles manufactured before 2015 pay a daily fee of £12,50 ($15) to enter this zone. Trucks and buses must pay £100, and taxis are exempt.

It is in addition to the £15 “congestion charge” which has been required since 2003 on all vehicles entering central London.

According to a 2019 report, the air pollution caused around a thousand hospital admissions for asthma and serious lung diseases in London annually between 2014 and 2016.

Air pollution is fatal; see other highlights Curto Verde

See highlights from Curto Green: European Environment Agency (AEMA) points out that air pollution caused 238 thousand premature deaths in the EU in 2020; investment funds begin to publish the carbon footprint of their portfolios; and Gerdau establishes new ESG clauses for contracts, encouraging suppliers to improve social and environmental practices.

Opponents of the ULEZ argue that the fee amounts to a “tax” on poorer drivers who cannot afford to replace their polluting vehicles.

(With AFP)

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