Greenwich School of -1Management

Study skills

Greater London Authority Mayor of London Policies On Environment

Okikiola Lookman Imam Tutor: Jeff Burke Student Number: 121396

August Okikiola Imam121396 2012

From: Mr. Okikiola Imam To: Jeff Burke

Stn: 121396 -2-

Table of Content
1. Introduction....3
2. Greater London Authority......4

2.1 structure of the GLA.....5 3. Environment/Strategies.................6 3.1 3.2 Waste Policies/initiatives .....8 Air Policies/Initiatives.9 3.1.1 Street Cleanliness..8 3.2.1 Encourage recycling and walking...............10 3.2.2 Smoothing traffic flow to reduce fume...11 3.2.3 Adapting buses to make them cleaner....11 4. Gap between Policy and Public Behaviour ...12 5. Priorities within London.........13 6. Conclusion.14 7. References..15 8. Appendix interview Questionnaire to Determine Priorities .16

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Introduction

The Greater London Authority(GLA) and the Mayor of London(MOL) are trying to make environment a big issue, hence why it is on their priorities list, as environment problem is also linked to economic and social problem the natural environment is natures capital providing a flow of good and services. As such it is an economic good (jack and Harvey, 2007,p.211) and air pollution does have adverse effect on health such as lung problem and heart problem Fifty-thousand people a year may be dying prematurely because of air pollution,(sic) a influential committee of MPs reported (John Vidal, 2012) if climate keeps getting warmer at this rate, then we will have disastrous things such as flooding, extinction of other animals, landslide etc (The times, 2012) This report will be looking at some of the power and responsibilities of the GLA and MOL, listing and explaining some strategies, polices and initiatives that have been implemented by the MOL within the last 5yrs. Explaining the process the GLA and the MOL have to go through in implementing a new initiative or policy, there is also a survey carried out to know establish environmental priorities in London.

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Powers and Responsibilities of the Mayor and GLA

GLA was started after the abolition of the Greater London Council (GLC) by Margaret Thatcher and the assumption was that it was only abolished because of the high labour party involvement in the Greater London Council (Guardian, 2012). The MOL is responsible for making the GLA budget and also developing and proposing policies, promote London economic development, other role is to be the single face that represent London, but with the 25 elected Assembly member with the power to scrutinise the activities of the mayor.

2.1

Structure of the London assembly

Structure of the GLA

Greater London Authority

Type

Type

Local London

authority ofGreater

Leadership

Mayor of London

Boris

Johnson,Conservative

since May 2008

Deputy Mayor of London

Richard Barnes, Conservative since May 2008

Deputy Chair of the London Dee Doocey, Liberal Democrats Assembly since May 2011

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2.2

Main Responsibilities of the Great London Authority

Health Strategic Planning Culture Economic Development Policing Fire and emergency planning Transport Housing Learning and skills (GLA, 2012)

All of the above will fall into one of the 4 functional bodies created by the GLA as they dont provide any service themselves. The Greater London Authority Act of 2007 was update to GLA Act of 1999 granting some additional power to the Mayor of London and London Assembly.

3.

Environmental Strategies/policies/initiatives
Air Quality Strategy Adapting buses to make them cleaner Implementing a taxi emissions strategy Introducing the worlds first citywide Zone Initiatives to encourage cycling and walking Smoothing traffic flow to reduce fumes Promoting zero-emitting electric vehicles (GLA,2012)

Water Strategy

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-6 Water use in London Drainage in London Disposal of wastewater in London (GLA, 2012)

Climate change mitigation and energy strategy Combining Londons existing economic strengths with its influence and capacity to drive demand for, and attract inward investment in, the low carbon economy Helping Londoners to gain the skills and experience needed to participate in the low carbon economy Enabling the identification and development of decentralised energy opportunities, and building capacity to deliver decentralised energy projects Delivering decentralised energy through the planning system Enabling the commercialisation of the decentralised energy market Retrofitting existing homes with energy efficiency measures, water efficiency measures, and low and zero carbon micro generation technologies Tackling fuel poverty in London Retrofitting Londons existing workplaces with energy efficiency measures and low and zero carbon micro generation technologies Minimising CO2 emissions from Londons new buildings Minimising CO2 emissions through a shift to more carbon efficient modes of transport Minimising CO2 emissions through more efficient operation of transport Minimising CO2 emissions from transport through the use of low carbon vehicles, technologies and fuels (GLA,2012)

Climate change adaptation strategy The Mayor will work with partners to reduce and manage current and future flood risk in London The Mayor will work with partners to improve the sustainability of Londons water supply and demand balance and make London more robust to drought The Mayor will seek to reduce and mange the impact of hot weather on Londoners by working with partners (GLA, 2012)

Waste Strategy Informing producers and consumers of the value of reducing, reusing, and recycling municipal waste Reducing the climate change impact of Londons municipal waste management Capturing the economic benefits of municipal waste management

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Achieving high recycling and composting rates resulting in the greatest Environmental and financial benefits. Stimulating the development of new municipal waste management infrastructure, particularly low carbon technologies Achieving a high level of street cleanliness (GLA, 2012)

Business Waste Policies/Proposals Promoting the commercial value of a resource-efficient business Boosting reuse, recycling and composting participation in the commercial and industrial sector Supporting the waste infrastructure market in London to grow and to deliver for business waste producers Driving improvements in resource efficiency in the construction and demolition sector while continuing to maintain the good levels of reuse and recycling performance already being achieved (GLA, 2012)

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3.1

Waste Management

The MOL has set out to drastically reduce the amount of waste being produce and going onto land fill improve the quality of life for Londoners by ensuring that we focus our efforts on delivering a cleaner and greener city (Boris Johnson, 2012). One of the policies to come out from this strategy is: Achieving a high level of street cleanliness With the global world about to set upon London for the Olympic game and what the MOL doesnt want visitor to see is the left over kebab wrappers, chewing gum, cans and abundance of rats roaming our city, hence why hes pledge to do all he can to make the city of London one of the cleanest in the world. My ambition is to put the village back into the city. What I mean by this is that we can improve the quality of life for Londoners by ensuring that we focus our efforts on delivering a cleaner and greener city. (Boris Johnson 2011) But still there are surveys and reports that suggest London is still one of the dirtiest cities in the European Union and it shouldnt be surprising or shocking to the people of London, because priory to the election, expert and critics in the environmental field such as green peace, friends of the planet etc did place Mayor Bois Johnson environmental pledge/strategy on last poll of five prospective London mayoral candidate. Quoted below is a survey carried out by Trip Advisor Website and its shocking to see London as one of the dirtiest city. The MOL has been doing a lot of work trying to make the city as clean as he could, but there will be always more to do as we can see from outsider perspective of London and there has been extensive recommendation through out the field of environmental sanitation that people need education (friends of earth, 2012) to the effect of littering, effect of living in an insanities environment London is the most expensive and dirtiest European city to visit, but is the best for parks and parties, a traveller survey said on Wednesday.Despite(sic) the British Okikiola Imam121396 8

-9capital's poor ranking for cleanliness and value for money, it is still the most favoured destination for travellers visiting Europe, Trip Advisor said (Andrew Hough,2008). Recommendation has been made by some expert in the sanitation of environment that for littering and street cleanliness to be at an acceptable standard, then there might have to be more penalties on those breaking the law on littering and dumping of refuse in places not appropriate.

3.2

Air Quality Strategy

Like every big city of the world, London does have its own share of air pollution which affects the people that live and work in London and the planet as a whole, air pollution are small particles or substances in form of Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Carbon monoxide, Lead, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5, Sulphur Dioxide, that cling onto the air and have adverse reaction to human health, plants and environment as a whole (GLA, 2012).

Initiatives to encourage cycling and walking The cycling Mayor as known by a lot of the people in the city, the Barclays cycle program has been successive to some extent, but while Mr Boris rides about on his Barclays bike in the news papers, the bike initiative was brought in at a massive public expense because the bike was meant to be free to tax payers while other city in England cycle support was cut. The main cycle super highway that has cost the tax payer over 100milion to paint the road is seen and brand as a big disaster as it has lead some cyclist to their eventual death, because Theres a real danger London will be left behind by other global cities such as New York, Paris and Amsterdam if the next Mayor doesnt look beyond outdated solutions that always favour motor traffic over cyclists and pedestrians (Ashok Sinha lcc.org.uk 2012) Cycling in Paris is safe because city authorities make it safe, they dont build killer junctions like Bow or Kings Cross. Theres nothing inevitable about cyclists dying (climate rush, 2012)

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- 10 The mayor has done well with the introduction of the Barclays bike hire but the view among cyclists is that the Mayor could have done a lot better with the way the roads are structured, there main concern is how many bike lane suddenly cross a main junction without any traffic lights in quote is a statement from cyclist from city of London Neil Turner, killed cycling to Oval - start of the Tour du Danger. A tube driver, Mini fan, Millwall supporter, father and soon-to-be husband. An allround Londoner killed, in my view, on a road designed in a way that makes deaths unavoidable. (cyclelondoncity, 2012)

Smoothing traffic flow to reduce fumes This is part of the mayor transport strategy, there has been allot of criticism of this policy, because allot of campaigner group such as climate rush think the mayor has got his priority wrong and it should be about reducing traffic in London and not about smoothing traffic flow. The argument was based on the fact that the mayor has failed in most of his EU target for Air pollution but on the face of it, the GLA policy on smoothing traffic by the use of good traffic management and street works, making it easy for boroughs to enforce 20mph if its possible including the London permit Scheme and finally by maintaining roads in good order to reduce the problem that arise from uneven road surface. Great work is being done by the GLA and Smoothing Traffic flow but there has been recommendation from a lot of the environmental group wanting the Mayor to bring back congestion charge on the western extension zone. The MOL plans to smooth traffic flow by working with travel for London(tfl), the boroughs, traffic authority and they are all working together with all stakeholder and they doing this by reducing traffic light and removing In June 2010, we published our first list of traffic signal sites to be considered for removal. The list is updated regularly to show which sites have already been removed and which sites are under review. (Tfl, 2012) Adapting buses to make them cleaner/ implementing a taxi emission strategy

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- 11 A research conducted by the Mayor office found out that up to 4300 death are caused by air pollution in London, which makes cutting down emission from public transport a very important and good initiative. The initiative will work with Transport for London (Tfl), travel companies and boroughs, in simple terms will means taking off oldest and most polluting buses off our roads and this is going to take form of Bus emission programme, introduction of hybrid or diesel buses Road transport is responsible for around 80 per cent of airborne pollution (PM10) in central London where air quality is worst, with black cabs contributing 25 per cent of this. The mayor pledge the introduction of 300 hybrid buses by the end of 2012 (TFL, 2012)

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Proposal of Polices to implementation

The MOL policy development plan is aimed at policies and initiatives that they are not too expensive but at the same time very effective, with the EU target to meet all policies must be very timely. Fairness is what an all good policy/initiatives development is based upon, hence why all new policies must be fair, targeting those producing high level of emission or pollution to contribute more in cleaning it up. The policy should be able to work with all other policies or initiatives already in place or plan for the immediate future, the mayor, boroughs and stake holder all have an important role to play (GLA, 2012)

The 33 London boroughs including the City of London Corporation are important as they are responsible for delivering of Mayor Policies at local level. Councils are required by the GLA to produce what is called an implementation plan and this document outline how the council is going to tackle and meet the requirement for strategies and policy set by the mayor and the council implement this by having planning policy, noise reduction team, street care and cleaning, encouraging parks and garden, rubbish collect (fines if not adhere to), recycling centre, creating awareness As the strategic authority for London, the GLA works closely with the boroughs to deliver the Mayors long-term strategy for London, ensuring that the big picture of the capital is taken into account at the local level. The Mayor sets his pan-London vision and strategy and he uses his position and influence to ensure that the boroughs help us deliver on that vision. (GLA, 2012) Main funding for the GLA and Mayor of London comes from governmental grant and some percentage on council tax from Londoners. The GLA does not directly tax London residents, but a part of the Council Tax levied by local borough councils is set by the Mayor to provide funds for the GLA, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), Transport for London (TfL) and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). Much of the cost of funding the GLA family - MPA, TfL, LFEPA, and the GLA itself - comes from government grants. (G L A, 2012)

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Londoners main concern

Priority among Londoners in tackling environmental issues that affect them is at the heart of GLA and the Mayor himself, Hence why a public survey was conducted on the 31st of July to 10th of August 2012, among the student of Greenwich School of Management (GSOM) and it was conducted on a one to one interview with 100 students. Variety of questions were asked and attached is a copy of the questionnaire in the appendix section, the main interesting thing about this research is about how much people dont care or are dismissive about their environment and their reasons are that the consequences of bad environment will not be present but in the future, when they are no longer on earth. The public seem to be concerned about how the government is going to tackle energy efficiency in new homes and business as they are one of the avenue where allot of our energy goes and allot of emission are happening. Respondents were seen to be largely unconcerned about most environmental issues, with the majority answering that the issues were not a large problem or not a problem, with 3 being the favoured choice, in all cases. Incentives make people want to partake in environmental activities as my research found out, with over 79 people saying they will do more if there are money incentives for recycling or cheaper public transport (which they dont see happening with fare rises). Rising mortality from pollution and air quality seems to alarms most of my test subject as they were even worried about some of the statistic of how much pollution is harmful to health.

Recommendation
Recommendation for the Mayor and the GLA is to increase awareness of the immediate and long term harm of adverse environmental problems, also in working

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- 14 closely with their critic such as friend of earth, climate rush, green peace to meet all of its EU target on climate, this should be inform of a dialogue with their critic.

Conclusion
GLA and the Mayor of London working together with the central government and boroughs are obviously working hard to make London the cleanest and polluted free city with all the policy they have in place, some working very efficiently and some are not. This report hereby conclude that whilst the current policies have been relatively effective they will not be fully effective in the future or until the policies have the necessary grip in enforcing it on those who are failing to assist the authority and initiative that encourage good behaviour relating to environment.

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Bibliography Guardian (2002) Air pollution death toll 'has doubled, Available at: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2002/dec/05/uknews.pollution? INTCMP=SRCH. last accessed 14th July 2012. Climate Rush | Our Campaigns | Cycling. Available at: (http://www.climaterush.co.uk/our-campaigns/wheels. last accessed 15 July 2012.0) Time (2012) Climate-Change Report: From Bad to Worse. Available at: (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1905102,00.html. Last accessed 27 july 2012.0) Clearing Londons Air. Available at (https://www.london.gov.uk/airquality. last accessed 17th july 2012.0) Cullingworth, B. & Nadin, V., 2006. Town and Country Planning in the UK. 14th ed. Routledge. Delivering the Mayor's strategies at a local level (http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/london-boroughs. August 2012.0) last accessed 10

Jack Harvey & Ernie 2007. Modern Economics. 8th Edition, Pollution LONDONS WASTEDRESOURCE. Available at: (http://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Municipal%20Waste_FINAL.pdf.Last accessed 7th July 2012.) Notes of editor. Available at: (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/22264.aspx. last accessed 26 July 2012.0) Mayor hails new measures in 2012 to deliver cleaner air for London. Available at: (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/22264.aspx.last accessed 6th July 2012.0) UK air pollution causes 50,000 early. Available at: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/22/air-pollution-deaths) (last accessed 16th July 2012.0) Safe bike lanes and junctions will persuade us to cycle more. Available at

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- 16 (http://lcc.org.uk/articles/safe-bike-lanes-and-junctions-will-persuade-us-to-cyclemore-say-londoners-and-lcc-shows-mayor-how-it-can-be-done. last accessed 5th July 2012.0) Thoughts on Mayor Boris Johnson. Available at: (http://www.foe.co.uk/blog/mayor_35777.html. last accessed 13th July 2012.0) (Andrew Hough Tourist say London is dirty and expensive. Available at: (http://uk.reuters.com/article/2008/03/12/uk-britain-londonidUKPAT25538220080312. Last accessed 6th July 2012.0)

Why should cyclists all of a sudden get investment ahead of motorists ?. Available at: (http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.co.uk/. Last accessed 5th July 2012.0)

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- 18 Appendix Questionnaire

1. Length of residency in London Weeks to 6months 6months to 1year 1year to 5years 5years over

2. What Environmental Policies are you mostly concern with? London waste(recycling) Air Quality Water Availability of green spaces Climate change Pollution from Transport Other

3. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being not at all and 10 being totally) how much to do you consider the impact on the environment of your day to day activities/health?

4. Which of the following are you MOST concerned about on a day to day basis? Air quality Water use Pollution in general Amount of rubbish not being recycled Destruction of green areas Transport pollution 18

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5. Do you partake in any of the following environmental initiatives? a. Recycling b. Planting trees c. Water conservation d. Energy conservation e. Alternative energy use such as solar f. Transport savings such as bikes g. Other 6. Are you environmentally aware? Concerned? Knowledgeable? a. Really care about environment b. just pressure c. Fear of fines or action from government d. Its easier to comply e. Other 7. Why do you take part in any environmental project? a. I care about the environment b. Peer pressure c. Fear of fines or action from government d. Its easier to comply e. Other

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