Global Action Plan ‘Open Letter’ Signed By CWU Calling on all Political Parties to Prioritise Clean Air Policies in their General Election Manifestoes

Global Action Plan ‘Open Letter’ Signed By CWU Calling on all Political Parties to Prioritise Clean Air Policies in their General Election Manifestoes:

The CWU has proactively supported the Trade Union Clean Air Network, Global Action Plan, National Clean Air Day and the Greener Jobs Alliance since the inception of these organisation networks in the collective support of achieving better air quality, reducing air pollution and emissions as key components in combatting environmental degradation.

The ‘Global Action Network’ has thanked the CWU for its continual support of annual national ‘Clean Air Day’ and in seeing the campaign shared far and wide this year and for helping to create such a great impact!

To take the campaigning to the next level, Global Action Plan and partners are now directly calling for political action to achieve better air quality. As an organisation that cares about and stands up for clean air, the Communication Workers Union has signed an Open Letter calling for all political parties to prioritise clean air policies in their manifestoes for the forthcoming 2024 General Election which must take place before the 17 December 2024. A large number of clean air champions and significant national and professional bodies have signed the letter.

‘Global Action Plan’, a charitable trust has joined forces with the newly founded ‘Health Equals’, part of the Health Foundation Charity which has TUC support, to drive home the message that clean air is an essential building block of health, without which the UK cannot prosper. The ‘Open Letter’ contains the ‘Global Action Plan’ evidence-based case for action on clean air and four specific policies for political parties to include within their 2024 election manifestoes – the important agenda setting statements that political parties use to show the direction they would take if successful in the general election.

The four specific policy asks included in the Open Letter have been co-developed with a mixed working group and have been peer reviewed by the NHS, UKHSA, Local Government Organisation, and Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The policy asks were discussed at a Parliamentary Roundtable at the Labour Party Conference and have been shared with parliamentarians and civil servants in draft form. ‘Global Action Plan’ are confident that these asks:

Will have an impact on air quality and improve public health.
Are achievable and well-evidenced.
Are politically viable and likely to have impact.

The Letter calls on all political parties to recognise the importance of clean air and take meaningful action to address air pollution. The letter, signed by 40 organisations, has been sent to party leaders, parliamentarians, and manifesto writers in a united bid to encourage a stronger commitment to clean air policies in the run-up to the general election.

Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health, associated with up to 43,000 deaths and millions of cases of ill health in the UK each year.

The letter asks political parties to commit to four core clean air policies:

A Clean Air Act with enhanced air quality targets and the legal right to breathe clean air.
A public engagement campaign on air quality and health.
Investment in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure and facilities.
The establishment of Clean Air Frameworks to bring together local authorities and health and social care teams to work together on clean air initiatives.

The policy proposals were co-developed by the ‘Clean Air Advisory Group’, set up earlier this year by ‘Global Action Plan’ and ‘Health Equals’, with the goal of driving forward political action on clean air and improved health outcomes. The group scrutinised and peer reviewed a range of clean air policies to settle on a final four that are practical, possible and will make a difference to public health in the UK.

The ‘Clean Air Advisory Group’ (CAAG) is a collaborative group of seven charities and NGOs managed in partnership by ‘Health Equals’ and ‘Global Action Plan’. Members of the group include the ‘Centre for Mental Health’, the ‘Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’ (RCPCH), ‘Sustrans’ (Sustainable Transport Charity), the ‘Race Equality Foundation’, and the ‘Wildlife Trust’. The CAAG seeks to: increase public and political recognition of air quality as a building block of health, co-develop impactful policy asks, and demonstrate the case for prioritising clean air in political agendas.

The ‘Global Action Network’ and ‘Health Equals’ have thanked CWU for our support of the ‘Open Letter’, calling on all parties and politicians to prioritise clean air polices in their manifestoes.

Please find a copy of the letter attached along with a copy of the supporting press release and poster which have been published and released to the press and media yesterday.

Clean air is a core building block of health. Following the lack of recognition of environmental issues or preventative health measures in the Government’s Autumn Statement, the collective message cannot come at a more important time.

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