Breathe: Seven Ways to Win a Greener World

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Air pollution is often more concentrated close to the source of emissions, such as traffic. This means that exposure and its health impacts are not distributed evenly across London: Independent research into the effects of the Mayor’s air quality programme shows that by 2030 the exposure gap between the most and least deprived areas will be reduced by 71 per cent and the exposure gap between areas with the highest and lowest proportion of BAME residents will be reduced by up to 85 per cent. The ULEZ expansion will deliver the most benefit in the areas that currently have the worst pollution. Expanding the ULEZ London-wide will strike the best balance between maximising the health and environmental benefits for Londoners while minimising the cost to drivers. Toxic air caused by road traffic is still leading to thousands of deaths a year, and the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution are in London’s outer boroughs, which the ULEZ doesn’t currently cover.[2] Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, founder of the Ella Roberta Family Foundation and World Health Organization Advocate for Health and Clean Air, said: “This memorial is not just about remembering Ella. It’s a way to spark a conversation about how air pollution continues to negatively affect children’s lives. I’m incredibly grateful for the Mayor’s contribution in Ella’s memory to enable us to do this.” He seems in good form, though. He asks who I’ve interviewed recently. I mention Smokey Robinson and he’s off – singing The Tears of a Clown, talking about seeing Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross live, and his love of soul music. The waiter arrives. Khan looks at my flat white dismissively. “What’s that? That’s very posh. I’m from south London so I’m going for a skinny Americano.” It’s classic Khan – playing the geezer and not getting it quite right. To his credit, he’s told me every time we’ve met how uncool his two daughters think he is. So join us as we explore the big ideas changing the way we think, act and live – and how much impact we can really have as individuals.

For many years, Khan wasn’t fully aware of the dangers posed by air pollution, nor its connection with climate change. It’s the simple things. I'm not saying we've all got to adopt a vegan diet and get rid of our cars, but there are little things we can do which incrementally lead to big changes. Kevin Fenton, London Regional Director of Public Health, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), said: “Air pollution in London is the largest environmental health risk we are facing as a city, and one that affects the most vulnerable Londoners - including children - the most. Bold action is needed from all of us. Expanding the ULEZ will have significant health benefits for the city and prevent over 500,000 Londoners developing air pollution related diseases over 30 years.”Standing up against Trump and fighting against air pollution has made Sadiq Khan a target for the far right. He talks death threats, the toll on his mental health – and why he wants six terms as London mayor

The rest of the chapters adhere to their topics a little bit more faithfully, but are all told through the narrow lens of Khan’s own experience in office. The result is a book that is neither a cerebral exploration of the barriers to climate action in politics, nor a proper political memoir. Apart from the time we were discussing music at the start, Khan has hardly smiled in almost two hours. He’s been too busy laying out achievements, obstacles and challenges ahead. I feel as if I’ve gone 12 rounds with the Human Encyclopedia of City Hall. But for all the talk of six terms, I think he’s worried about the next election. And for all the braggadocio there is a vulnerability – partly a fear of letting London down by losing, partly a fear of personal failure. Khan is that rare thing: a politician with a mission and vision for the community he serves.Ahead of a general election that is likely to take place before the end of 2024, Khan’s book reminds us that this approach didn’t work for Goldsmith at the ballot box. Ultimately, as its title promises, Breathe is a breath of fresh air, offering an antidote to cynicism and demonstrating the power of a politics that aims to bring people together in the search for solutions. Do you think parenthood has made you more engaged in your activism, raising two children in London with air pollution being what it is? At the time of writing, Khan is finding out how ugly the discourse around climate can get, as he seeks to expand the area of London in which a charge is levied on the dirtiest vehicles. Alex Williams, TfL’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, said: ”Expanding the ULEZ is vital for public health in this city. We know that there are more deaths that are attributed to toxic air in the city’s outer boroughs and that bringing in these world leading standards over a larger area will see millions more breathing cleaner air. Our experience of these schemes shows that they work, with significant reductions in pollution since the first zone was introduced in 2019.

The coroner’s findings had finally answered Ella’s family’s questions. But the effects of his report were felt far more widely, with the ruling paving the way for others who wanted to see further action on air quality. It gave concrete evidence that toxicity from transport doesn’t just stunt children’s lungs – it is a killer. Since Khan – who in 2021 was elected chair of C40, a global network of almost 100 megacities with a shared ambition to fight climate change – became mayor, he has presided over some of the hottest temperatures ever seen in London, including this summer, when the city’s fire services saw their busiest day since the second world war. However, he has also come in for criticism for allowing the Silvertown Tunnel, a new four-lane road tunnel under the River Thames, to go ahead. The tunnel, on which construction has started, has faced widespread opposition from local people, politicians, climate scientists and medical experts who say it would increase traffic and worsen public health. Khan’s administration has repeatedly defended the scheme, claiming it is essential to improve river crossings in east London.

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A new grace period for all wheelchair accessible vehicles and some vehicles with other adaptations (including vehicles with a ramp/power lift, electric or hydraulic lift, swivel seat or accelerator ring permanently fitted to the steering wheel). The first point to make is that on a London scale, climate change in air quality proportionately affects the poorest people more than the wealthy people. So those least likely to own a car suffer the worst consequence of air pollution from those who own the car. The borough in our country with the largest amount of four-wheel drive vehicles is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. They have one of the highest life expectancies because they drive their vehicles not in their patch but outside their patch. So it's an issue of social justice and racial justice. And so we've got to make it easy for people. Monbiot: 'The Heathrow ruling is crucial. It sets a precedent that can now be followed in the other sectors most responsible for climate breakdown.' Expand C40’s Global Green New Deal programme, funded by the Open Society Foundations, which will direct additional funding to increase the number of cities working in partnership with trade unions, young people and community organisations to ensure climate action benefits everyone. The new grace periods will be available from 30 January 2023 and also apply to the existing zone. The grace periods will apply until October 2027.

Khan may now be as closely associated with London as previous Labour mayor Ken Livingstone. And, like Livingstone, you sense he’s aware of every pothole and dodgy traffic light. But the city has changed hugely since Livingstone’s time. Although its overall population is rising, the number of people aged 25-39, and most likely to start families, is falling because of housing costs. Most young people simply can’t afford to live in London any more. Inevitably, this will lead to a city famous for its diversity becoming the preserve of a moneyed elite. Mayor Khan believes cities have a pivotal role to play in achieving a green and just recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He told delegates at COP26: “Our cities can harness the ingenuity of the human spirit to help conquer the threat of global warming. In doing so, we’ll be able to fashion a new world after the pandemic that has as its guiding principles equality, fairness and climate justice.” An additional 131 air quality sensors are to be installed at hospitals, schools and other priority locations in the capital, revolutionising Londoners’ access to reliable data about air pollution in their local area. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will today mark Clean Air Day with a visit to the Royal London Hospital, one of ten hospitals with a sensor in place to monitor in real time the effects of toxic pollution, including high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) which aggravates respiratory diseases.The portraits featured in Breathe: 2022 have been developed into large-scale projections, appearing as still and moving images on bridges, buildings, and hoardings across Lewisham Oliver Lord, UK Head of the Clean Cities Campaign said: "This is a welcome next step in our fight for clean air in London and especially for people living on the most polluted roads. Anyone doubting this decision should take a long walk along the north and south circular and reason with the families living there why they don't deserve cleaner air. Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, said: “Improving the air quality in Tower Hamlets is one of our top priorities as we know how badly children are affected by pollution. Children in our borough have up to 10% less lung capacity than the national average because of air pollution and this needs to change.” Features Editor Jenny Proudfoot sat down with Sadiq Khan ahead of Breathe's release to discuss the climate emergency, sustainable advice and the challenges of writing a book while serving as a politician. Do scroll our guides to greenwashing, intersectional environmentalism, and sustainable living, while you're here. Sadiq Khan on global warming, air pollution, and building a better tomorrow lululemon's Wundermost bodywear almost broke the Internet this week - what we thought as the first to try