The government can only end air pollution if it confronts the big, poisonous elephants in the room

Cracking down on wood burning stoves and ammonia gas from farms isn’t going to cut it. To make a difference, we need to drastically reduce car use

Another day, another study warning us about the dangers of air pollution. Around the world, scientists have predicted the average child born today will have 20 months knocked off his or her life thanks to toxic gases and particles in the air.

An unpleasant conclusion maybe, but not a surprising one. Air pollution has been blamed for respiratory problems, heart disease, dementia, psychosis, miscarriage – the list goes on.

It has been called “the new tobacco” and a “public health emergency” by the head of the World Health Organisation. Nine in 10 people globally are breathing toxic air, and at least 800,000 Europeans are being killed by it every year.