Air quality targets set out by UK government

The UK government has laid out specific air quality targets, as it revealed details of its fourth carbon budget.

It is hoped that by 2030, air monitoring results will show a 60 per cent reduction in pollutants based on figures compiled in 1990.

A 50 per cent improvement had been outlined for 2025 and the new proposals will also see targets set for 2023 and 2027 - the years between which the carbon budget will run.

Utility prices are expected to rise sharply across the UK, with domestic customers anticipated to feel the full effect more than corporate utility users.

News of the fourth carbon budget has been well received by the World Wildlife Fund UK (WWF-UK), which has hailed the project as giving the country a "clear direction for the greening of the economy".

Head of climate change at WWF-UK Keith Allott said: "No other country has set legally binding emission reduction targets going into the 2020s and so with this decision the UK is demonstrating genuine leadership on climate change."

Posted by Lauren Steadman