Imperial College London – 25 January 2021
Life expectancy for children in London will improve by six months as a result of air quality policies, Imperial researchers predict.
A new report by researchers from the School of Public Health’s Environmental Research Group predicts that London specific air quality policies, alongside wider improvements in air quality, will increase the average life expectancy of a child born in London in 2013 by six months, compared with 2013 concentrations remaining unchanged.
The research, commissioned through Imperial Projects by the Greater London Authority and Transport for London (TFL), used known and projected levels of air pollution from 2013 up to 2050 to assess the impact on health of air quality policies. These include policies introduced by the Mayor of London, such as Low Emission Zones for Heavier Vehicles and the Ultra Low Emission Zones, due to be expanded in 2021; potential future London policies, and background trends resulting from the predicted effects of national and international policies in London