Summary
Breathe London is a cutting-edge, ‘hyperlocal’ air quality monitoring project which maps and monitors air pollution across London. Following a two-year pilot phase, Breathe London Blueprint: How cities can use hyperlocal air pollution monitoring to support their clean air goals was published in February 2021. It captures the lessons learnt from the project and provides guidance for other cities on how to achieve similar results.
Application
Breathe London was launched by the Mayor of London in January 2019. It responds to the ambitious air quality targets set out in the London Environment Strategy, and operates alongside air quality policies. The pilot phase was delivered by Environmental Defense Fund Europe in partnership with King’s College London, Google Earth Outreach and others.
Evaluation
“This is a major milestone for our world-leading Breathe London sensor network. Giving Londoners the opportunity to see the levels of pollution in their local area will improve awareness and help people reduce their exposure. It will also help City Hall, TfL and the boroughs better target efforts on improving air quality for all. As we face up to the climate emergency, I hope the success of this scheme will act as a blueprint for cities around the world to battle their own toxic air emergencies.
The onset of coronavirus has reminded us how important our work to clean up London's toxic air is. It requires bold and innovative action and we can't win this battle alone. This is why I have consistently demanded that the Government match my ambitions and improve the new Environment Bill to include legally binding WHO recommended limits to be achieved by 2030, and to give cities the powers and funding we need to consign air pollution to the history books once and for all.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
Case Introduction
The air quality monitoring approach in the first phase had three components:
???A network of 100 lower-cost air quality sensors were installed on lamp posts and buildings throughout the city, continuously transmitting air quality measurements.
???Specially-equipped Google Street View cars used mobile sensors to measure air pollution on a variety of London roadways, taking readings approximately every second in representative areas of the city.
???A linked study funded by the Greater London Authority used wearable sensors that allowed schoolchildren and teachers to monitor air quality during their journey to and from school.
The pilot demonstrated that an extensive network of expensive, reference-grade monitors isn’t the only way cities can better understand hyperlocal air pollution and gain the insights needed to inform air quality management planning.
In July 2019, the Mayor of London published the first data from Breathe London. The data, which was reported in the media, showed high levels of air pollution at 40% of the sensor sites and unexpected pollution hotspots in outer boroughs. It also showed that busy streets have much higher levels of NO2 than smaller streets just metres away – meaning that pedestrians and cyclists can significantly lower their exposure by taking quieter routes.
