Ricardo Air Quality and Economic Expertise to Help European Commission Reduce Hundreds of Thousands of Premature Deaths From Air Pollution
Ricardo, a global strategic environmental and engineering consulting company, has significantly contributed to the European Commission’s revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive which sets air quality standards for European Union Member States. This Directive underpins the improvement of air quality to reduce the 300,000 premature deaths a year and a significant number of noncommunicable diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular problems and lung cancer, which are still attributed to air pollution.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221114005544/en/
Smog in the city of Milan, Italy (Photo: Business Wire)
Led by Ricardo, a team of air quality experts, including IIASA, Met.No, VITO and Trinomics, carried out an impact assessment into options to revise the legislation. Using scenario modelling to 2050, Ricardo considered what the potential impacts of the new air quality standards could be in relation to public health, the environment and business. Ricardo provided economic expertise to the impact assessment which shows that the benefits of the proposed revision for society far outweigh the costs. The main benefits expected are related to health: including reduced mortality and morbidity, reduced healthcare expenditure, reduced absence from work due to illness and increased productivity at work. Additionally, key benefits for the environment include reduced ozone-related crop yield losses.
A further study, also led by Ricardo, set out suggestions to improve support for local authorities in achieving cleaner air through strengthening air quality monitoring, modelling and plans.
Dr Beth Conlan, Technical Director – Air Quality at Ricardo said: “Ricardo has the longest-established specialist air quality team in the world and, with over 130 experts, one of the largest, and this is reflected in the UK’s position as a world-leader in air quality expertise. As our corporate mission is to create a safe and sustainable world, we are honoured that the European Commission chose to entrust this seminal project to us, which will significantly reduce deaths, improve people’s quality of life and public health in general. Legislation really does push forward change and, in my thirty years of working in this sector, this regulatory revision is likely to be the most far reaching and valuable in terms of improving air quality.”
Ricardo has provided expertise to the European Union (EU) in air quality and climate change since the 1990s, supporting the EU’s drive to lower emissions, through the Green Deal, and air quality directives – the last one of which was enacted in 2008. Ricardo’s air quality team has very well-established capability in air quality assessment and management practice. It was this capability, together with Ricardo’s economic expertise and proven track record in successfully delivering co-beneficial air quality and climate change programmes for the European Commission that led to the Ricardo-managed air quality team working on this project.
In the UK, Ricardo’s air quality expertise is helping the national Government shape strategies that offer routes to delivering national emissions reduction commitments such as the UK’s Clean Air Strategy, the National Air Pollution Control Plan, National Emission Ceilings targets, Environment Act Air Quality targets, and the UK’s net zero strategy, as well as international objectives through the Gothenburg Protocol.
Ends
About Ricardo
Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, listed on the London Stock Exchange. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. Every day, we enable our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world. Visit www.ricardo.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221114005544/en/
Contact information
Media contacts:
Kathryn Bellamy
Group Senior Communications Manager
Ricardo plc
Email: kathryn.bellamy@ricardo.com
Telephone: +44(0)7921 941824
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Fitch Learning Completes Acquisition of Moody’s Analytics Learning Solutions and the Canadian Securities Institute5.12.2025 17:48:00 EET | Press release
Fitch Learning, the global leader in financial learning and professional certifications, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Moody’s Analytics Learning Solutions (MALS) and the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI). MALS is a global provider of credit and digital learning, and CSI is a leading provider of certifications for the Canadian financial services industry. Fitch Learning, recognized globally as the premier financial education provider, delivers specialized training for the financial services industry through accredited qualifications, flexible corporate solutions programs, managed services and digital learning solutions trusted by leading institutions worldwide. The combined business will serve over 92,000 finance professionals across 148 countries, at every stage of their careers. “This acquisition is about creating more opportunities for growth – for organizations and for individuals,” said Andreas Karaiskos, CEO of Fitch Learning. “By combining both organizat
Arthur D. Little and Vega IT Unveil Joint Venture for Digital Innovation5.12.2025 17:00:00 EET | Press release
Arthur D. Little (ADL) and Vega IT today announced the formation of Axceler8 Solutions, a 50/50 joint venture created to design, develop, and operate a portfolio of digital and AI solutions aimed at improving efficiency and automating complex business processes. The launch of this new company is the direct outcome of a year of successful collaboration between the two firms and marks a new phase in their shared ambition to bring scalable, high-performance digital solutions to market, aiming to further augment their clients’ capacity to compress time to impact in a variety of domains. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251205465303/en/ Arthur D. Little and Vega IT have announced the formation of Axceler8 Solutions, a 50/50 joint venture created to design, develop, and operate a portfolio of digital and AI solutions. Axceler8 Solutions’ first product, Axceler8 Rx, is now live as a newly developed platform, and is a
Lone Star Announces Sale of SPX FLOW to ITT Inc.5.12.2025 14:30:00 EET | Press release
Lone Star Funds (“Lone Star”) today announced the signing by an affiliate of Lone Star Fund XI, LP of a definitive agreement to sell SPX FLOW, Inc. (“SPX FLOW”), a leading provider of highly engineered equipment and process technologies for attractive end markets including industrial, health and nutrition, to ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) for $4.775 billion in cash and shares of common stock. Based in Charlotte, N.C., SPX FLOW focuses on process technologies delivering mixing, blending, fluid handling, separation, thermal heat transfer and other solutions integral to industrial, health and nutrition markets. The company has operations in more than 25 countries and sales in more than 140 countries. In partnership with Lone Star, SPX FLOW has focused on improving its sales execution and operating platform, while ensuring high quality and innovative product development. The management team has improved the company’s commercial organization and executed growth initiatives to build its presence in e
AmTrust Financial Services and Blackstone Credit & Insurance Close Strategic Transaction and Launch Newly Formed Multinational MGA Company Named ANV Group Holdings Ltd.5.12.2025 14:00:00 EET | Press release
AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (“AmTrust” or the “Company”), a global specialty property casualty insurer, and Blackstone Credit & Insurance (“BXCI”), today announced the closing of a strategic transaction under which AmTrust and funds managed by BXCI have partnered to spin-off certain of AmTrust’s Managing General Agencies (“MGAs”) and fee-based businesses in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Continental Europe, into ANV Group Holdings Ltd. (“ANV”), a newly formed independent company, following receipt of regulatory approvals. AmTrust and ANV have entered into a ten-year capacity agreement through which AmTrust will remain the underwriter for the existing books of business offered through the MGAs. As previously announced on September 15, 2025, the agreement includes seven AmTrust subsidiaries: ANV Specialty, Risico, Collegiate, ANV Nordic, Arc Legal, Qualis, and Abacus. These businesses provide diverse risk and insurance coverages including cyber excess and surplus (E&S), directors and
Galderma Opens up New Chapter for Sculptra ® with MDR Certification and New Expanded Indication for Body5.12.2025 08:00:00 EET | Press release
Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, today announced the certification of Sculptra for body indications in the European Union (EU) following its certification under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR). This expands Sculptra’s current clinical use on the face, to include four new areas: gluteal area, posterior thighs, décolletage, and upper arms. Sculptra can be used across these areas to address varied treatment goals – from improving skin quality (including the improvement in cellulite appearance), to enhancing firmness, as well as lift, projection, and contouring.1-5 Sculptra’s versatility allows practitioners to meet each patient’s unique needs, delivering natural-looking, long-lasting improvements across face and body. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251204988559/en/ Meeting the moment: evolving patient needs As aesthetic expectations shift, patients are seeking more holistic
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom