TO BE PUBLISHED November 2026
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This conference will examine next steps for air quality in England. Areas for discussion include national targets and future policy, emissions from domestic burning, industry, agriculture and transport, planning and environmental permitting, local delivery and enforcement, and priorities for public health and reducing unequal exposure.
It will bring together stakeholders with policymakers to consider the direction of air quality measures following publication of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, the Air Quality Environment Act Target Delivery Plan and the latest annual progress report. Discussion will assess the extent of progress, where the present approach may need to develop, and the implications of possible further action for regulators, local authorities, businesses, farmers, transport bodies, households and communities.
The agenda will consider how policy might respond to differences between pollutants, sources and places, and how choices over regulation, incentives and enforcement may affect those expected to implement or comply with new measures. Delegates will also examine what councils, regulators and other delivery bodies need in terms of funding, expertise and powers, approaches to monitoring and evidence that might better support decisions, and how air quality policy should be coordinated with wider objectives for public health, housing and infrastructure development, transport, decarbonisation and environmental protection.
Proposed measures, targets & delivery across different sector
Delegates will assess progress towards interim and statutory targets, examining measures now in place or under development, and discussing where further action may be needed. The agenda will also consider how the costs, responsibilities and practical effects of different approaches might fall across sectors and groups.
Areas for discussion include:
- targets & accountability:
- progress towards the national air quality targets for 2030 and 2040 - reducing concentrations of PM2.5 and population exposure
- interaction between statutory targets, WHO guidance and action on other harmful pollutants - arrangements for assessing progress and reviewing policy
- domestic burning:
- next steps following consultation on reducing emissions from solid fuel burning - possible changes to standards for new stoves, labelling and enforcement
- the future use of stoves as secondary heating - effects on households, manufacturers, retailers and local authorities
- industry:
- approaches to reducing emissions from small industrial combustion plants - possible changes to standards and permitting
- costs and compliance requirements, particularly for smaller operators - options for providing the certainty needed for investment and business planning
- agriculture:
- approaches to reducing ammonia emissions - proposals to extend environmental permitting to intensive beef and dairy production
- the respective roles of regulation, grants, advice, monitoring and industry-led action - implications for farm businesses
- finance & support:
- access to finance, incentives and technical advice - support for businesses, farms and other affected organisations in adapting to new requirements
- timing of changes and readiness across supply chains
Planning, permitting & development
Further discussion will examine how air quality should be taken into account as planning and environmental permitting are reformed, including implications for decision-making, regulatory capacity, development and affected communities.
Areas for discussion include:
- permitting reform:
- modernisation of the Environment Agency’s permitting service through the Accelerated Permitting Transformation Programme
- priorities for timeliness, consistency and clarity for applicants - resources and expertise needed by regulators - arrangements for accountability
- planning policy:
- treatment of air quality following consultation on the draft revised NPPF - use of health evidence in plan-making and development decisions
- how national targets should inform local assessment
- growth & infrastructure:
- implications for housing, industrial and infrastructure development - certainty for developers and operators
- approaches to mitigation - avoiding additional exposure in communities already affected by poor air quality
- coordination:
- links between planning, permitting and Local Air Quality Management - respective responsibilities of the Environment Agency and local authorities
- involvement of operators, public health bodies and communities in decision-making
Local delivery, evidence & public health
Sessions will examine issues around the resources that local authorities and other local bodies need in order to identify priorities, address urgent pollution and protect those most at risk. We expect this to include powers and funding, access to specialist expertise, and the evidence needed to support effective local decisions.
Areas for discussion include:
- local capacity:
- funding, staffing and technical expertise - powers and resources for monitoring and enforcement - priorities for developing and implementing Air Quality Action Plans
- data & assessment:
- making national emissions data more useful for local decision-making - addressing gaps in monitoring across urban, rural and indoor settings
- assessing the effectiveness of interventions in reducing pollution and exposure
- public health & inequalities:
- reducing exposure in pollution hotspots - targeted action for groups at greater risk - air quality in homes, schools, workplaces and public buildings
- scrutiny, engagement & accountability:
- wider issues from the Environmental Audit Committee’s Air Pollution in England inquiry, including national leadership, clarity of responsibilities and translating evidence into action
- public information, alerts and dashboards - involving communities in local action - transparency over progress and outcomes
Transport, places & decarbonisation
Further sessions consider the future contribution of transport and place-based policy to improving air quality, including how priorities may change as exhaust emissions decline and pollution from other sources becomes more prominent.
Areas for discussion include:
- local transport:
- future approaches to low-emission and clean-air zones and other local measures - how air quality should be reflected in Local Transport Plans
- effectiveness, accessibility and affordability - implications for businesses, residents and different places
- vehicle transition:
- air quality implications of the ZEV mandate rising to 33% for new car registrations in 2026 and the 2030 phase-out of new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel
- addressing brake, tyre and road-wear emissions - considerations for future standards and monitoring requirements
- freight & other sources:
- emissions associated with freight, logistics and ports - priorities for rail, aviation, construction and non-road mobile machinery
- next steps for operational change, regulation and new technology
- wider coordination:
- how air quality should be considered alongside transport decarbonisation, energy use and development of the built environment
- measures that can support both climate and public health objectives - where action to reduce carbon emissions may not deliver equivalent improvements in air quality
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department for Transport; Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, NI; National Wealth Fund; Office for Environmental Protection; UK Health Security Agency.
