Enact Equality says toxic air is not just an environmental issue but a racial justice issue and a social justice issue

A LEADING campaigns organisation has issued a powerful open letter to the Prime Minister calling for action to tackle the disproportionate impact toxic air has on Black communities.

Enact Equality wants the Government to take immediate action to address how air pollution impacts on people of colour, low-income families, and other marginalised groups in Britain.

The letter to Keir Starmer, is backed by prominent parliamentarians and supported by new national polling, and frames air pollution as not just an environmental issue – but a matter of racial, social and health justice.

The letter to the PM, from L’Myah Sherae, CEO of Enact Equality, seen by The Voice, reads: “This is not just an environmental issue. It is a racial justice issue. It is a social justice issue. And it is a public health emergency.

“Research published by the University of York shows that, across England, people in the most deprived groups of society are more likely to live in areas with the highest levels of air pollution.”

It adds: “For too long, those most affected by air pollution have been excluded from the decisions that shape their lives. We are calling on you to ensure that those communities are no longer an afterthought, but are actively represented and protected in the future.”

Toxic air

Additionally, Ms Sherae, is also calling for a meeting with the PM to discuss how environmental policy can better reflect the lived experiences of marginalised communities.

She said: “People of colour and low-income communities are paying the highest price for toxic air – with their health, their futures, and their lives. This is no longer just an environmental issue. It’s a matter of justice. The Government must act, and we are ready to work with them to drive that change.”

The calls come after record-breaking attendance at a recent parliamentary event hosted by the campaign group, on the subject, and a petition signed by hundreds of people from racially diverse backgrounds calling for policy change.

MPs back call for action
Nearly 40 MPs and Peers have already pledged their support for Enact Equality’s Clean Air campaign, committing to amplify the voices of communities most affected by air pollution.

A growing number of parliamentarians are now urging the Government to act, highlighting the stark inequalities faced by affected communities:

Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Member of Parliament for Clapham and Brixton Hill said: “Air pollution is yet another example of how inequality plays out in our everyday lives. It’s no coincidence that Black and brown communities, low-income families, and frontline workers are the ones most exposed to toxic air. The government must act – not just with words, but with real investment in clean transport, green spaces, and fairer policies that protect those most affected.”

Siân Berry, Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion said: “Air pollution is a social justice issue. It hits hardest in communities who have done the least to cause it – low-income families, workers, and minority groups. The Government must commit to these clear and reasonable demands for cleaner transport, greener spaces, and stronger protections. Everyone has the right to breathe clean air.”

Worrying statistics

Enact Equality also highlighted findings from a national survey of nearly 800 people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK:

• 72% want greater investment in clean, green transport
• 66% want wider access to nature and green spaces
• 66% want more support to upgrade older vehicles
• 59% want tougher air quality laws and monitoring

Baroness Jenny Jones, Member of the UK House of Lords said: “Air pollution always has the most impact on the poorest and most marginalised. The dirty air is linked to your location, whether it is schools, or playgrounds near busy main roads, or living close up to a polluting incinerator or airport, or having mould growing on a cold, bedroom wall.

“Air pollution is a health crisis, but the same solutions work as will solve the climate crisis. Reduce traffic with more public transport and cut down on fossil fuels with more recycling and better insulated homes. Do those simple things and you can massively improve people’s health, as well as saving the planet.”

In 2020, Ella Adoo-Kissi Debrah, 9, became the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death in the UK. 

Ella, who lived in Lewisham, south-east London, died in 2013 following an asthma attack.