Air Pollution

Air pollution is a significant global challenge that affects our society and the environment. The impacts of air pollution are wide-ranging, from public health to food production. Clean air is key to our health and our ecosystems.

Air pollution describes the presence of toxic chemicals in the air, such as nitrogen dioxide or particulate matter, and leads to poor air quality.

We seek to improve air quality, reduce the impact of air pollution on people and economic development, and provide independent advice to the UK government and businesses.

We carry out research into the emissions of different air pollutants and how those chemicals are transformed and transported in the air. This can range from city-scale monitoring and local actions to future emission projections and global impacts.

We are able to measure air pollution at a higher level of detail than any other UK research organisation by embracing new techniques and developing new technologies.

Our research helps us foresee how new chemicals and technologies could impact air pollution in the future. It will also help us to understand how social trends and broader environmental changes, such as climate change, will affect air pollution.