Scottish Government steering group on clean air appoints Stirling academic

A steering group set up by the Scottish Government to help improve air quality in Scotland has appointed a University of Stirling academic.

Dr Annalisa Savaresi, Lecturer in Environmental Law in Stirling’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, has joined the steering group, which will oversee the review of the Scottish Government’s air quality strategy, ‘Cleaner Air for Scotland – The Road to a Healthier Future’ (CAFS).

Dr Annalisa Savaresi

CAFS was published in November 2015 as Scotland’s first separate air quality strategy - previous strategies were developed and implemented on a joint UK basis - and sets out a series of around 40 actions across the policy areas on health, transport, energy, environment and climate change intended to deliver further improvements to Scotland’s air quality.

The review will explore the progress and impact of Scotland’s air quality strategy; identify and assess any new evidence and developments on air quality standards; make recommendations for future air quality policy; and outline actions needed to meet existing targets.

Health

The review, which is expected to cover transport, industrial, domestic and agricultural emissions – as well as health, planning and relevant business issues – is to be undertaken independently of government and will be led by Professor Campbell Gemmell, formerly CEO of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, SEPA.

Launching the review, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “There is a clear relationship between air pollution and human health impacts and, although we have made significant progress over recent years, more remains to be done.

“The review will bring together research being undertaken by the British Heart Foundation here in Edinburgh and others elsewhere to determine how we, as a nation, can take further positive steps to mitigate the impact of this hugely important subject.”

The first meeting, initiating the work of the Steering Group, will convene in Stirling on 6 December.