Cleaner air for Scotland: annual progress report 2016

1. Ministerial Foreword

This report outlines the progress made during 2015/16 to deliver 'Cleaner Air for Scotland - The Road to a Healthier Future', Scotland's first separate air quality strategy. Cleaner Air for Scotland was published in November 2015 with an overarching vision that Scotland's air quality will be the best in Europe. Over the first 12 months, we have made significant progress in starting to deliver this vision through the 40 key actions contained in the strategy.

An important step has been to establish a Governance Group to oversee this delivery, with wide ranging representation. The Governance Group is in turn supported by several expert subgroups focusing on specific topics, along with valuable input from other partners. The input and support of numerous organisations across the public and private sectors was vital during the development of Cleaner Air for Scotland. It is encouraging to see that this enthusiasm has been maintained into the operational phase, as collaborative working will be absolutely essential to what we are trying to achieve.

Underpinning Cleaner Air for Scotland is an emphasis on protecting human health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. In support of this we have adopted in Scottish legislation the World Health Organisation ( WHO) guideline value for fine particulate matter ( PM _2.5), making us the first country in Europe to do so. This, and other achievements, are covered in the main part of the report. Although we have made a good start, we cannot afford to be complacent and recognise that much more needs to be done. There are many challenges still to come as we move towards putting in place Scotland's first Low Emission Zone by 2018 whilst continuing to progress all the other actions in Cleaner Air for Scotland.

With a concerted effort to work together, we can realise the vision of Cleaner Air for Scotland, helping to create and maintain a strong, healthy and fair society, with clean air for all.

Roseanna Cunningham MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

Humza Yousaf MSP
Minister for Transport and The Islands