One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a dramatic drop in air pollution. Empty roads and closed factories have made breathing while cycling in our towns and cities much easier during these grim times. Nevertheless, although this phenomenon clearly should not be described as a benefit, hopefully it will trigger greater interest in air pollution.
As Beth Gardiner eloquently argues, the facts are not new. The Great Smog of 1952 killed around 12 000 Londoners and led directly to the 1956 Clean Air Act. In the US, the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 following a bipartisan effort in the US Congress and a realpolitik decision by the now-maligned President Richard Nixon, who in fact established the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.
That almost appears a golden age when compared with the current incumbent of the White House, who, shortly after arriving in post, appointed …