Campaigner: Rosamund Kissi-Debrah. Photo: Richard Maidment

CLIMATE change must be understood as a public health crisis, a woman whose daughter died after exposure to air pollution said, ahead of an important environment conference.

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah lost her daughter Ella in 2013 after exposure to air pollution left her in acute respiratory failure. She is among speakers at a free day-long NLCop climate conference in Red Lion Square’s Conway Hall tomorrow, Saturday, organised by the Extra’s sister newspapers.

Ms Kissi-Debrah said: “Air quality is turning into a public health issue. It affects everybody. The ­reason your readers need to be interested is there is a direct link between air quality and cancer in non-smokers. The quality of the air we breathe is incredibly important. It’s an environmental issue but it’s also about health.”

Ella died aged just nine, a bright little girl who loved sports, music, and reading. A coroner has ruled that living near a highly polluted road had both caused Ella’s asthma and worsened it. In the lead-up to her death, Ella suffered a series of serious asthma attacks. On the day she died, Ella experienced one of such severity it left her in cardiac arrest from which she could not be resuscitated.

Ms Kissi-Debrah has campaigned for recognition of the severe health impacts of air pollution.

Ella Kissi-Debrah who died aged 9

In 2019 the coroner reopened an investigation into Ella’s death, eventually listing “air pollution exposure” as its cause.

After the second inquest Ms Kissi-Debrah began campaigning for Ella’s Law, legislation that would guarantee the right to clean air as a human right. The bill has recently had its second reading in the House of Lords.

“We have Ella’s Law going through,” Ms Kissi-Debrah said, adding that the current Environment Act is very weak and does not cover PM2.5 fine particulate matter.

Late last month the government missed its legal deadline to set binding targets on air and water quality as well as nature and waste management.

“Due to all the chaos that did not happen.

“I feel there needs to be something to protect people from air pollution,” Ms Kissi-Debrah said.

“What Ella’s Law means is that every decision the government or developers make, they will need to consider air pollution and the impact it will have. It will hold them accountable, and what I mean by that is that the government, for the last 10 years, has always breached the European Union level [of acceptable air pollution rates].

“They were fined multiple times. We’re hoping the new government may adopt all of Ella’s Law or they may adopt a significant part of it.

“But this government is not big on human rights – they want to change the Human Rights Act into a bill of rights.

“They never make laws stronger, they make them weaker.”

Line-up – when to hear talks

11am: What role does the media play in addressing climate change?

• Justin Rowlatt, BBC Climate Editor [via Zoom from COP27]
• Dr Nafeez Ahmed, investigative journalist
• Bel Jacobs, former Style editor at Metro

12.30-1.30pm: Lunchtime talk

• Franny Armstrong, Age of Stupid film-maker, and former co-leader of the Green Party Siân Berry in conversation with Dan Carrier

1.45pm: How do we talk to children about climate change?

• Megan Kennedy-Woodard, climate psychologist
• Chris Haughton, author and illustrator
• Lesley Manning, film and TV director

3-4pm: Direct action and the law: how far should protest go?

• Paul Powlesland, lawyer and climate activist
• Tim Crosland, Plan B Earth
• Rollie, STOP HS2 campaigner
• Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah