UN expert: Britain's air pollution crisis threatens children's human rights

Source: www.aol.com - Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Air pollution which plagues the UK threatens the human rights of children, a United Nations expert has warned. There is an urgent need for the Government to protect children and other at-risk groups from the air pollution "crisis" which causes serious health problems, special rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes Baskut Tuncak says. At the end of a visit to the UK at the invitation of the Government, Mr Tuncak also warned that Brexit could put human rights, including the protection from toxic pollution, at risk. "The forthcoming plan for Brexit should ensure that it does not open a Pandora's Box, freeing the way for deregulation and posing a threat of regression from existing standards of protection," he said. Despite Government assurances it would maintain current European Union standards on human rights and environmental protections through the Great Repeal Act, the UN expert said he did not find evidence they would be kept in place. "I was told of a political commitment to maintain standards of environmental and public health protections but nothing in the prime minister's speeches which I heard and saw gave any such indication. "I was pointed to statements I couldn't find, I was pointed to political commitments that weren't clearly explained." The UK's pivot towards the US, which does not recognise the same rights, also raises concerns. Mr Tuncak's visit coincided with record levels of air pollution in London and he w

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