The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Cymru Wales has responded to the Welsh government’s consultation on Fine particulate matter air quality targets, urging more ambition to improve air and protect health.
Welsh government is consulting on draft regulations to implement stricter fine particulate matter air quality targets. The targets are:
- reducing annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 in ambient air to a level of 10 microgrammes per cubic metre by 31 December 2035
- reducing average population exposure by 25% by 31 December 2035.
In its consultation response, the RCP says the Welsh government’s proposed annual mean concentration target is not ambitious enough, urging them to instead adopt a target of 10 μg/m³ by December 2030. This would mirror targets in England.
The RCP says Welsh government should work with stakeholders and citizens, including marginalised and vulnerable groups, to ultimately deliver the World Health Organization’s 2021 global air quality guideline levels.
The RCP 2025 report, A breath of fresh air, highlights new evidence gained over the last decade showing that air pollution affects almost every organ in the human body. We now have new knowledge about the significant health impacts of toxic air even at low concentrations, including on foetal development, cancer, heart disease, stroke, mental health conditions and dementia.
In Wales each year, between 1,000 and 1,400 deaths are attributable to air pollution exposure with now up to 700 different diseases linked to poor air (Air pollution and human health: a phenome-wide association study).
In addition to stronger air quality targets, the RCP is also calling on government to fund and deliver a public health clean air campaign to provide accurate and trusted information about the health impacts of short- and long-term air pollution exposure.
The RCP’s report in 2025 made a number of recommendations for improved air quality.