ClientEarth Demands Urgent Action to Address Air Pollution in France
Following a successful Supreme Court case against the government of the United Kingdom, which required the government to create a new air quality plan by the end of 2015 aimed at meting EU limits for nitrogen dioxide, ClientEarth is now tackling France. Almost 2.5 million people "are likely to be exposed to dangerous levels of pollution until 2020" in 15 zones throughout all of France. ClientEarth explained, “A recent report [July 2015] from the Commission of Inquiry at the French Senate on the economic cost of air pollution seemed to have galvanised Ségolène Royal, the environment minister, who promised ‘extremely firm action.' To date, no policies to tackle this urgent issue have been announced.” Louis Cofflard, ClientEarth's clean air lawyer explained, “France absolutely must meet its obligations with regard to air quality and it’s now up to the government to make sure that, across the country, people are given the right to breathe clean air.”