Crimes of air pollution
Burning fossil fuels from cars, general transport and industry is adding 3bn tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year. These emissions are increasing at a rate of 2% per annum and are seen to be contributing to global warming. From South’s perspective the criminals are governments, businesses and consumers.
In his 2009 report, Crime is in the Air Professor Reece Walters highlighted the human costs of air pollution and failed attempts by successive governments to adequately regulate and control such harm. An estimated 24,000 British residents die prematurely every year and thousands more are hospitalised, because of air pollution.
Furthermore, the European Union is currently preparing a legal case against the British government for repeatedly breaching pollution levels. Professor Walters points out that more than 20 towns and cities have been found to be emitting pollution at twice the level specified in WHO standards – See more at here:
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