Campaigning for clean air with Asthma + Lung UK

Key info

• Partner: Asthma + Lung UK 
• Amount: £631, 000 
• Duration: Two years 
• Programme: Health effects of air pollution

What are we doing together?

Air pollution exacerbates poor health for people living with lung conditions. It also increases the risk of more people developing pollution-related lung conditions in the future. We are funding Asthma + Lung UK’s campaign to build cross-party political support for action on clean air to address this urgent health issue. 

Asthma + Lung UK are working to ensure clean air is on the national policy agenda of all political parties during the 2024 general election. They are doing this in two ways: 

• By developing and sharing policy recommendations. Asthma + Lung UK are focusing on enabling cleaner travel in a way that is sensitive to the needs of people on low incomes and with long-term health conditions and disabilities. You can read some of those policy recommendations in the article, A guide to a fairer, healthier transport system. 
• By raising awareness of how air pollution affects health, and particularly the devastating effects on people’s lungs. To do this, Asthma + Lung UK will work with grassroots organisations, building a network of campaigners with lived experience, and will support them to share their stories. 

We are continuing our partnership with Asthma + Lung UK following the success of our joint Clear the Air campaign, launched at COP26 in 2021. As the national charity for lung health, they have substantial experience in influencing senior political stakeholders. They also share our position that air pollution is a health issue, as well as an environmental and social justice issue. 

Aim of the partnership

We need coordinated efforts from national and local government to improve air quality. And clean air initiatives need strong public support to work. We are funding this partnership to secure the backing of those shaping national policy, while building voter awareness and excitement around the clean air agenda during an election year. 

Air pollution affects us all, but disproportionately affects different groups of people including children, older people, people with health conditions, people on lower incomes, Black people, and people from other minoritised communities. Raising awareness of the health effects of air pollution among these communities is a key element of the campaign. 

The partnership will involve policy development, public affairs activity, communications, and campaign activity across 2023 and 2024. Outputs of this work will include a report, a petition, and activity at political party conferences. All of these outputs will be used to influence and inform national policymaking on air pollution.   

Connection to our strategy

This partnership supports two priorities of our Health effects of air pollution programme: 

• to change national policy so that people in Lambeth and Southwark can breathe clean air 
• to amplify the voices of those whose health is most harmed by air pollution.  

Our partnership with Asthma + Lung UK will help us to reach and inspire a wider range of politicians. We hope this will make policy change around air pollution more likely. The campaign will also provide a high-profile, public platform for people whose health has been affected by air pollution to demand change. This will put those whose health is most affected by poor air quality at the heart of the campaign.