Scientists stunned by children's lung recovery in ultra low emission zone

A five-year study of more than 3,400 primary-school children found that lung capacity in London, where the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) was introduced in 2019, caught up with that of a control group in less-polluted Luton, reducing clinically impaired lungs from 14% to 9%. The accelerated growth coincided with faster declines in nitrogen-dioxide exposure, indicating the Ulez’s role in improving air quality and reversing pollution-related lung stunting.