News 1 July 2026
A new report published by Clean Air Fund, with research commissioned from CBI Economics and WSP, highlights the huge health and economic value of cleaner air as a result of the UK’s planned net zero policies. The measures would generate an estimated £7.7 billion in productivity gains by 2050 through improved workforce health, reduced illness-related absences and longer working lives.
The report, The Clean Air Dividend of Net Zero, finds that decarbonisation across transport, buildings, industry and power generation will bring substantial air quality gains. This will deliver major health and economic value by 2050, including:
- 38 million additional working days – equivalent to around 168,000 full-time working years returned to the UK economy.
- 264,000 avoided premature deaths – a number of lives equivalent to the population of a city roughly the size of Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Almost 500,000 avoided hospital admissions from respiratory and cardiovascular conditions – easing NHS pressure and saving taxpayer money.
Aligned with the UK Climate Change Committee’s Balanced Pathway to net zero, the analysis shows how improved air quality delivers some of the most immediate and tangible benefits of decarbonisation.
Air pollution is the UK’s biggest environmental risk to human health, costing more than £500 million a week in ill health, NHS care and productivity losses. Reduced exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) through decarbonisation can generate substantial and long-lasting gains for public health, workforce productivity and local communities.
Clean air action delivers some of the strongest returns in public policy. Cleaning our air will boost our economy and our health while tackling climate change. Improved air quality is one of the most significant and immediate benefits of net zero delivery, with the potential to add nearly £8 billion to the economy by 2050. For the UK to make the most of this opportunity, we should be accelerating the transition to zero emission vehicles and clean heat sources for residential and commercial buildings, alongside wider decarbonisation measures that will significantly improve people’s health..
Jane Burston OBE, CEO of Clean Air Fund
This report is a breath of fresh air, clearly showing that strong climate action can save lives while growing the economy.
After two fossil fuel crises in just five years, we are going further and faster to deliver clean, homegrown power. And by electrifying homes across the country, we are making sure the benefits are felt directly by working people through lower bills, greater energy security and cleaner air.
Katie White OBE MP, Minister for Climate
The report also finds that by 2050:
- Almost 2.5 million school days could be gained – with potential wider benefits for educational outcomes and reduced working days lost by parents and carers.
- Black carbon emissions could fall by 37% – showing the CCC’s Balanced Pathway delivers meaningful reductions in pollutants beyond NO₂ and PM2.5, and improving short- and long-term health outcomes, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease and premature mortality.
- London would account for over 9 million working days gained and more than 44,000 avoided premature deaths – capturing approximately 17% of UK-wide avoided deaths despite representing around 13% of the population.
The findings of this report are clear: air pollution isn’t just an environmental matter, but also an issue of social justice, because poor air quality disproportionately affects people in more deprived areas. In London, where baseline pollution levels have historically been higher, the evidence shows that the impact of the Mayor’s bold action has been even greater.
The action we are taking is saving lives, reducing ill health and boosting productivity, while also reducing long‑standing health inequalities. The Mayor will continue to clean up London’s air and build a fairer, greener London for everyone.
Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy
While the health impacts of air pollution are well understood, this research highlights the scale of the associated economic benefits that can be achieved through improved air quality. Our analysis shows that cleaner air resulting from the net zero transition could deliver substantial gains to the UK economy through improved workforce health, reduced pressure on health services and fewer working days lost to illness. These findings demonstrate that the benefits of decarbonisation extend beyond emissions reductions alone, generating measurable value for people, businesses and the wider economy.
Adriana Curca, CBI Economics Director
Too often, the benefits of net zero are viewed through a carbon lens alone. This research demonstrates that the same actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can also deliver cleaner air, better health outcomes and significant economic value. The findings reinforce the importance of taking an integrated approach to decarbonisation, recognising that investment in the transition can generate benefits that are felt by communities long before 2050.
Dr Guy Hitchcock, Technical Director for Air Quality at WSP
