Dirty air: we want to help you win

NEF is launching a new campaign against dirty air. If you’re a local clean air campaign group that would like some help on campaign strategy, economics and policy, media skills or citizen science, get in touch. 

We believe that the air that you breathe shouldn’t kill you. But for tens of thousands of people in the UK every year, it does.

Dirty air, like most environmental issues, most affects those with the least power to do anything about it. Low income and people of colour are more likely to live in highly polluted areas, while children and older people are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of toxic air. 

The government has dithered for too long. Ministers have been dragged to court time and again for breaking the law on deadly emissions. 

Dirty air is a national disgrace, with hyper-local consequences. Everywhere is affected, in different ways. And the things that can be done locally vary too. The Government has passed most of the buck to councils, many of whom now have to bring in their own plans to tackle dirty air, particularly from cars. Some are taking this seriously. Others aren’t. 

Local campaign groups are working tirelessly around the country – calling for clean air zones, better and cleaner public transport, and more money and powers for councils to actually be able to tackle the problem. With councils strapped for cash and national government not under enough pressure to take action, successful local campaigns matter more than ever.

We want to work with you

Our new campaign will partner with one local group somewhere in the UK. For an intensive period of a few months, we would like to:

• Skill you up in using citizen science air monitoring kits from King’s College London
• Help you devise campaign strategies that could have national impact – using our in-house media, policy, economics, organising and campaigning experts
• Work with you to design a local action plan that will improve air quality and people’s health
• Give your story a national platform to inspire others and to push for a better response from the government to the toxic air crisis 

We particularly welcome applications from groups led by or including working class people, people of colour and disabled people, as these groups of people are often underrepresented in activism and environmental politics.

Our only criteria are that your group must be:

• Already up and running, no matter how small
• Keen to work collaboratively with NEF
• Enthusiastic and ambitious

Get in touch

If you think your campaign group fits the bill, fill out our short form below by Monday 9 July 2018.

Click here to fill out our short form

This campaign has been generously funded by NEF supporters around the country, with their donations matched by the Pickwell Foundation.