IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2020 - 35

non-exhaust particulates from tyre
and brake wear [17]. Therefore, a
strategy that simply replaces all petrol or diesel vehicles with hybrids
and electric vehicles will not reduce
urban congestion and will likely
make only a small dent on ambient
PM2.5 concentrations, though pollution levels directly from the tailpipe,
such as NO2, will fall. In addition,
when considering the full environmental impact of EVs, one cannot
overlook the impacts of increased
battery production and their ultimate disposal.
Given the growing evidence of
the health impacts of air pollution
across one's whole life course, the
solution to our poor global air quality
cannot simply be left to organic and
incremental improvements through
improved technologies. To improve
air quality, it is imperative that we
target the sources of pollution at
both a national and international
scale. This requires engagement
across multiple sectors, including
public, industry, and government,
in combination with stringent regulation - which should be seen as an
opportunity for knowledge-lead economies to innovate, in an otherwise
challenging global marketplace -
and ambitious targets, neither of
which should be stifled by economic concerns. Indeed, the costs of
meeting these ambitious emissions
reduction targets should not be seen
in isolation from the potential cost
savings delivered through improvements made in public health. In our
challenge to tackle air pollution,
there has been a tendency to adopt
a "pick-and-mix" style approach, particularly within the U.K. where much
of the responsibility for improving
air quality has been handed down
to local councils, during a period of
time where their budgets are under
unprecedented strain. In contrast
to this poor model, going forward,
it would be much more beneficial
SEPTEMBER 2020

to adopt a more rigorous scientific
methodology - for example, one
that is analogous to that used for
drug trails - where, prior to widespread actions, initial small scale
studies are required to demonstrate if an action has produced the
desired results without unexpected
consequences. The successes, or
indeed failures of these schemes,
must then be rapidly, and transparently, communicated to the public.
Importantly here, digital communication and education (even access
to raw data) can play a key role in
keeping individuals on board with
future decisions based on these
studies. For example, the use of
well validated sensors to examine
the personal exposures of vulnerable groups over interventions will
be critical in demonstrating that
improvements in ambient air quality produce meaningful reductions
in individual exposures. However,
it is important that this work is
researcher-lead in partnership with
the community. Essentially, it is fundamental that all clean air strategies
or novel technological solutions are
robustly and independently evaluated and ensured to deliver on their
promises. In doing so, continued
measurements of, and investments
in, regional and national networks
are necessary.
Without moving policy decisions
away from small scale actions -
often delivered to quell public concerns and to be seen to be "doing
something" - we will continue to act
with little more effect than applying
a sticky plaster to a gaping wound.
In part, increasing successful outcomes requires educating the public
to overcome common misconceptions (often caused by misleading
language). It also requires a compelling narrative. A full understanding
of the bigger picture is needed as
well. Focusing too narrowly on high
pollution "hot spots," or on a single
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IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

pollutant from a particular source is
unlikely to address the magnitude
of the current air pollution problem
and may even result in perverse
unexpected outcomes.2 Finally, and
importantly, increasing successful
outcomes also requires changing
the way in which we plan our cities:
allowing for fewer unnecessary car
journeys, ensuring greater provision
of space for active transport, and
reducing the burning of wood for
space heating, recreation, etc.
Overall, there is a clear pathway
to success, but ultimately, the nature
and extent of any potential success
will depend on political will. As policy decisions of the past have contributed to the intensity and scale
of the anthropogenic emissions that
are the primary cause of poor air
quality today, it is the policymakers who carry the greatest prospective solution to pollution. Ultimately,
real substantial change requires a
significant change in our behavior -
whether or not governed by policy -
and at the core, this means recognizing and accepting that most harmful air pollution is caused by human
action. Despite political will constituting a significant part of the final
solution to pollution, we, as individuals, and as communities, can
and should begin to change. This
starts with an action made today,
sparking social change tomorrow,
and eventually revolting against
the ideologies deep ingrained in
our social constructs. This action
to start today could simply be recognizing that through changing our
human activities (for example, walking, cycling, and using public transport in place of individually owned
vehicles), we can contribute to the
2

For example, the European problem with urban
NO2 resulting from the implementation of catalytically regenerative particle traps, meant that
one harmful pollutant was increased through
actions to reduce another.

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