Air quality management
Collaborating globally to improve air quality, protect health and realise climate co-benefits.
Unique offer of air pollution mitigation solutions
Ricardo has the longest-established specialist air quality team in the world and, with over 150 experts and developers, one of the largest. Our unique expertise in working with governments (regional, national and international), NGOs, international funders and private companies for over 60 years helps our clients around the world to understand, manage and improve air quality.
Ricardo offers a fully comprehensive range of air quality assessment services to support clients utilising world leading monitoring, emissions inventory and modelling expertise to support air quality action plan development, inform decision making and highlight the health and economic benefits of improved air quality. Collaborating with other colleagues in Ricardo we can bring together expertise to support the development of Low Emission Strategies across a range of sectors including Net Zero, energy, waste, water and transport.
Projects
Delivering Warsaw’s first Low Emission Zone
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Asia Clean Blue Skies
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Evaluation of Caerphilly roadside NO2 improvements
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Air quality policies and plans
Ricardo is working with cities and governments around the world to deliver improvements in air quality where it matters most. Our experts can provide the evidence and analysis needed to develop robust policy and actions. We take an integrated approach, working to identify a range of complementary measures that not only solve air quality problems but help mitigate carbon emissions to support vibrant and liveable cities.
While the context for each city across the world is different, many municipalities face similar challenges to meet regulatory targets and have successful long-term plans. Overcoming challenges and barriers in governance and communication along with technical knowledge, limited funding and lack of capacity are important to achieve success in air quality action. Ricardo has utilised extensive skills across all the air quality management disciplines to support informed decision-making around air quality mitigation actions.
Low emission strategies
Ricardo’s expertise in policy and air quality evidence base development underpins our developing comprehensive approaches and policies designed to contribute to achieving Net Zero objectives, reducing emissions of both greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollutants. These strategies aim to minimize environmental impact while promoting sustainable economic growth and improving public health. We work on projects in many sectors, including transportation, industry, energy production, and agriculture, partnering with expert colleagues across Ricardo to develop unique pools of expertise. We have worked across the UK and Europe supporting the development of Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones and are taking this expertise to low- and middle-income countries as they embark on the journey to implement LEZs. We also support industry to reduce their emissions and devise low emission strategy pathways for this transition.
Health and Economic Assessments
Health and economic assessments for air quality are essential tools in understanding the full impact of air pollution on communities and economies. Ricardo has experience in quantifying the effects of actions and policies on ambient air pollutant concentrations and using this to evaluate the resulting benefits for life expectancy, health and quality of life. We can then deliver economic assessments to calculate the economic value of these benefits arising from improved productivity, increased labour force participation and reduced healthcare expenses, alongside the implementation costs. By combining health and economic data, Ricardo enables planners to identify the most cost-effective means of delivering air quality improvements. On top of this, we provide policymakers with the evidence they need to secure support for investments in air quality improvement actions.
Our strengths
Driving the global air quality agenda
Poor air quality is now the second leading cause of premature death worldwide, behind cardiovascular disease. Ricardo is working with clients at the forefront of air quality management implementation and advocacy and supporting them in moving the air quality agenda forward globally. We work closely with multilateral development banks and bilateral donors, advising and supporting them on the development and implementation of their funding programs. We are developing means of tracking investments which deliver air quality improvements, and also supporting philanthropic organisations as they seek to push air quality further up the political agenda.
City scale air quality management
We develop city wide, holistic, air quality management programmes. To do this, we work in partnership with city stakeholders to integrate advanced pollutant measurement networks with a robust evidence base including air quality measurements, emission inventory development, dispersion modelling, source apportionment, health impact assessment, options appraisal, visualisation and cost-benefit evaluation.
Capacity building
Ricardo has extensive experience in providing training and capacity building events across all of the core air quality management capability areas to a wide range of stakeholders. We ensure that knowledge and learning are transferred effectively, helping to improve their air quality management related knowledge, and finding innovative ways to apply this knowledge in the form of practical implementation. In many of our projects, outputs are designed to be outward facing and understood by the public and various stakeholders. As such, we are adept at tailoring our outputs to maximise impact with the target audience, and the team is experienced in presenting results in an attractive and engaging manner.
In the UK Ricardo operates a comprehensive training platform for local government officers (EMAQ+) covering emission monitoring, air quality management, contaminated land, noise regulation, waste, water, climate change and odour management. We can build on this framework and our wider expertise to deliver a high standard of training and capacity building.
Net Zero Impacts Analysis
Many government bodies, agencies and businesses are committed to achieving Net Zero in the coming decades, building on a range of policies and technologies. We are supporting technology providers, regulatory agencies and other partners to ensure that these technologies can be responsibly implemented, delivering the climate benefits while also protecting public health and natural ecosystems. As part of this, Ricardo has designed and built its own Combined Heat and Power demonstrator plant with a carbon negative footprint. This gives us a unique perspective on the key environmental and sustainability issues that need to be addressed during design and implementation of Net Zero technologies.
Air quality management Resources
