Urban Environments and Environmental Threats to Health Inaugural Conference of the Institute for Sustainability, Health & Environment – ‘Anticipating Tomorrow for Change Today’ Urban Environments and Environmental Threats to Health Professor Peter Liss, UEA

Overview About the RCEP RCEP report on The Urban Environment – positive and negative scenarios for the relationship between health and environmental sustainability to 2035 Artificial Light in the Environment Novel materials in the environment Key drivers of change Conclusions and role for UWE in moving forward

About the Royal Commission The Commission was established by Royal Warrant in 1970; It is independent of Government; It is a ‘Committee of Experts’ not an ‘Expert Committee’ Our Terms of Reference: “To advise Government and Parliament on matters, both national and international, concerning pollution of the environment, the adequacy of research in this field, and future possibilities of danger to the environment.” Only Royal Commission in UK been in existence for 39 years – terms of reference reflect the times – no mention of climate change or even climate in the terms of reference, from 1970

13 Members of the Royal Commission: Sir John Lawton, Chairman and formerly Chief Exec., NERC Professor Nicholas Cumpsty, Imperial College Professor Mike Depledge, University of Plymouth Dr Ian Graham-Bryce, formerly University of Dundee Professor Jeffrey Jowell, UCL Professor Maria Lee, UCL Professor Peter Liss, UEA Professor Peter Matthews, NI authority for utilities regulation Professor Judith Petts, University of Birmingham Professor Steve Rayner, University of Oxford Professor Michael Roberts, former Chief Exec., CSL Professor Joanne Scott, UCL Professor Lynda Warren, Aberystwyth University

The RCEP published a report on The Urban Environment in 2007 It considers the main issues surrounding environmental policy for the urban areas...

Why do towns and cities matter? Over 80% of the UK population already live in urban areas – this figure is rising Impact of urban areas on environment is large (CO2 emissions: see map) But: little over-arching policy Presents us with a great opportunity to influence policy

The Urban Environment is complex Affects health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works there; Problems are concentrated in the most deprived areas: environmental, social and economic factors interact; Relationship between health, wellbeing and place are complex, interacting, and poorly understood. Interacting factors influencing an individual’s health

Urban Environments: Threats to health Mental illness – association between urban residence and prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the UK Obesity – 34,000 deaths p.a. Obesity: 34,000 premature deaths and about 16 million attributable days of certified incapacity per year in England Air pollution: 24,000 premature deaths per year in Great Britain, reduced average life expectancy by around 8 months in 2005 Mental illness: Association between urban residence and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the UK, which persists after adjustment for confounding factors. Climate: Winter – 25,700 extra deaths occurred in the period Dec 2005-March 2006 in the UK, compared with the death rate for other months of the year. Certain urban air pollutants are on the rise (ozone and nitrogen dioxide) Lack of exercise – the car based society – is one major cause of rising obesity. There is clear evidence for the rise in mental illness in urban areas. Much more attention needs to be paid to the design of urban areas and to transport-related problems / air pollution. The Commission recommend that human health considerations are closely tied to Environmental Impact Assessments in new urban developments. Air pollution – 24,000 deaths p.a. Climate – Winter – 25,700 extra deaths p.a .; Summer – at least 2,000 excess deaths p.a.

Urban Environments: Benefits to health Mentally stimulates those who live and work there Green space – important for health and wellbeing, provides community benefits (e.g. allotments) Green space also provides ecosystem services: alleviation from flooding, river restoration, biodiversity

Artificial light in the environment The RCEP will be publishing a short report on Artificial Light in the Environment in late 2009; The Urban Environment identified light as an important factor in determining local environmental quality; The RCEP has learnt that disruption of ‘natural’ light can have significant effects on plants, vertebrates (including humans) and invertebrates

Changes in levels of light at night – 1993 (left) to 2000 (right: yellow represents changes in levels at 2000 from 1993 levels) – note increase not in London but in more rural areas. (a) (left) Map showing light levels at night in 1993. Analysis by RCEP using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Line Scan data (GMDC-OLS) collected by US Air Force Weather Agency and distributed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geophysical Data Center. (b) (Right) Change in light at night from 1993 to 2000. The change is shown with respect to the colour classes in a). A pixel becoming brighter by 3 classes (+3: for example changing from a)’s dark blue to its red) is shown as red in b). Most areas became brighter but a minority became darker in the intervening 7 year period- in general these were offshore where the locations of active platforms changed. The possibility of minor differences in the geographical registration of the satellite data and of issues with sensor calibration means that the map should be regarded as indicative rather than exact.

Artificial light in the environment - opportunities >1million of the UK’s stock of 8million street lights will need to be replaced in the next few years (already past the end of their design life); Opportunity to ensure that their replacements avoid some of the adverse effects of the current stock (£, C, spillage) Artificial light in the environment - opportunities >1m of the UK’s stock of 8m street lights will need to be replaced in the next 2yrs (already past the end of their design life) Opportunity to ensure that their replacements avoid some of the adverse effects of the current stock However, what will be the impact of new light technology on the natural environment? However, what will be the impact of new light technology on the natural environment?

Novel materials in the environment In 2008 the RCEP published a report on Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of nanotechnology The rate of innovation in the field of nanotechnology is outpacing our ability to test the affect these materials have on the natural environment Novel Materials in the Environment The RCEP published this report in November 2008 Nanomaterials are materials that exist in the nanoscale and have properties and therefore functionality that is radically different from the properties/functionality exhibited by the bulk form of the substance – e.g. nanosilver – biocidal, and bulk silver is inert. They have primarily been designed to improve the performance. The commission identified that the rate of innovation in the sector is outpacing the ability to test the affect many of these materials have on the natural environment.

The Commission did not find evidence of actual harm caused by nanomaterials; However, the lack of standardised testing methodologies for nanomaterials in the environment suggests that we would not necessarily know if they were causing harm Images: Carbon nanotobes, St Pancras station and fresh feet socks from M&S

The Commission therefore recommended the establishment of an ‘early warning system’ for nanomaterials, incorporating a simple checklist They also called for greater Government investment in the training of toxicologists and eco-toxicologists

Conclusions and role for UWE in moving forward? Integrated approach for water, transport, energy and waste in urban environments – an environmental contract between national and local Governments Known unknowns: artificial light and novel materials in the environment – pressure on natural systems impacting on sustainability We need an integrated approach for water, transport, energy and waste in urban environments – an environmental contract between national and local Governments Known Unknows: We know that artificial light and novel materials impact on biological systems but we do not necessarily know the extent to which they impact on the natural environment.

For copies of the Commission’s reports please see www.rcep.org.uk For hard copies please contact: enquiries@rcep.org.uk