We are committed to Sutton being a green borough, and we hope that as a result of the air quality monitoring, we will be able to develop schemes that can deliver an improvement in air quality and an increase in sustainable travel, leading to safer and healthier streets.” Mark Hayden, Consultant Intensivist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: “We see first-hand the impact poor air quality has on our patients who face challenges such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, cystic fibrosis, stroke, premature birth, and other lung conditions. So I'm a progressive politician - I used to be a human rights lawyer, so one of the "good guys", right? Notwithstanding all that, I drove a Land Rover Discovery in London, and when I was a member of Parliament I voted to have a new runway at Heathrow Airport.

Scandalised, Sadiq underwent a political transformation that would see him become one of the most prominent global politicians fighting (and winning) elections on green issues. Since becoming Mayor of London in 2016, he has declared a climate emergency, introduced the world's first Ultra-Low Emission Zone, and turned London into the first-ever 'National Park City'. If I told you that your house was burning down, it would be illogical for you not to take action, right? And our planet is burning basically, so it's illogical for people not to take action. We've realised over the last few years that people haven't had a sense of urgency, and it's because it's been happening slowly over a long period of time. You mention the IPCC findings, but there have been a number of examples of equally worrying reports from experts where there hasn't been a sense of urgency. Just remember the 41°C temperatures last summer - people were literally overheating. Last year's wildfires led to the London Fire Brigade being the busiest it’s been since the Blitz. The year before we had flash flooding, where a number of our stations and tens of thousands of homes were flooded. We had massive floods in the Lake District in 2009 that at the time were called “floods of Biblical proportions” - they happen every two years now. So, it’s timely, but we could argue that it’s been timely for the last 5/ 10/ 15 years.But the point is, there is still a chance for us to do something about it. Councillor Manuel Abellan, Chair of the Environment & Sustainable Transport Committee at Sutton Council, said: “Access to more accurate real time data will provide insights of overall air quality and congestion levels in the borough, and help build clear a picture of the environment and health of our schools and communities. Each of the seven main chapters explores a barrier to action: apathy, cynicism, cost, and so on. But having set up this structure, Khan immediately abandons it, promising an opening chapter on fatalism in politics but instead giving a linear account of his career, leading up to his election as mayor of London in 2016.Despite significant improvements in London’s air quality between 2016 and 2019, a study by researchers from Imperial College London found that London’s toxic air contributed to the deaths of around 4,000 Londoners in 2019. The greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution were in outer London boroughs, mainly due to the higher proportion of elderly people in these areas, who are more vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution. At the time of writing, Khan is finding out how ugly the discourse around climate can get, as he seeks to expand the area of London in which a charge is levied on the dirtiest vehicles. Clean air should be a human right, and with Ella's Law currently passing through the Lords, this is something I am fighting for every day. But the expanded ULEZ across London is a big step in the right direction.” Ella Kissi-Debrah was seven years old when she was diagnosed with asthma. She lived just 25 metres from the congested South Circular Road in Lewisham, South East London.

I was annoyed with myself because I didn't know about air pollution until it affected me directly. And my point was, if I didn't know, who else doesn't? So one thing I'm hoping the book does in a non-patronising way, is wake people up to what's going on. I want them to enjoy the book of course, but actually do they realise they could be doing something perfectly healthy - cycling their bike, going for a walk, and without knowing it they're breathing in poison? This book is a personal story but it's also a handbook. I know it’s a big task, but I want to turn passive consumers into active citizens - that's the prize.

The additional 131 air quality sensors, which are being installed in Sutton, Kingston, Merton and Richmond upon Thames, are being implemented as part of the South London Partnership’s InnOvaTe Project.*

And … breathe. Interviewing Khan feels like watching Question Time with a solitary guest. The monologue is Khan at his migraine-inducing best – the verbal tics, the stats, the willingness to make political capital out of a powerful story. But it’s also important and impressive. The clean air (human rights) bill – also known as Ella’s Law – would enshrine the human right to healthy air in UK law. Khan has repeatedly called on the government to support the bill. Health officials estimate the death toll from human-made air pollution in the UK is between 29,000 and 43,000 every year. I stood saying I want to be the greenest mayor our city’s ever had, and got the biggest vote a sitting mayor’s ever received Since becoming Mayor of London in 2016, he has declared a climate emergency, introduced the world’s first Ultra-Low Antha Williams, Global Head of Environment Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said : "By expanding the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone and supporting a joint investment with Bloomberg Philanthropies' for Breathe London, Mayor Khan is doubling down on his commitment to improving London’s air quality, fighting climate change and safeguarding public health. The Mayor's leadership to ensure clean air provides real examples for other cities to do the same.” The biggest challenge was pressing send and waiting for the response. When I used to be a lawyer, the most difficult part was when the case was finished - the judge goes out, the jury goes out and you're just waiting. The space between pressing send and publication feels like that.So join us as we explore the big ideas changing the way we think, act and live – and how much impact we can really have as individuals. There is also a notable omission from Khan’s chapter headings: good old-fashioned denial. Khan argues that the era of climate denial is over, and that the people who formerly tried to cast doubt on the science have now accepted the consensus and have moved on to delaying climate action. An estimated 3.8 million Londoners live in the expanded ULEZ zone and are set to directly benefit from the scheme when it comes into operation in October. Patients and staff at the Royal London - which is home to one of the largest children’s hospitals in the UK and has one of London’s busiest paediatric A&E departments - are also set to benefit as it is situated within the expansion zone.