Sailesh Mehta featured in The Guardian discussing landmark Air Pollution case

A landmark ruling in France is believed to be the first time environment has been cited by a court in an extradition hearing.

The case involved a Bangladeshi man with asthma who avoided deportation from France after his lawyer argued that he risked a severe deterioration in his condition, and possibly premature death, due to the dangerous levels of pollution in his country of origin.

Sailesh Mehta who specialises in Environmental law was quoted:

“We have a right to breathe clean air. Governments and courts are beginning to recognise this fundamental human right. The problem is not just that of Bangladesh and the developing world. Air pollution contributes to around 200,000 deaths a year in the UK. One in four deaths worldwide can be linked to pollution.”

Read piece here:[The Guardian]