(LONDON, UK – 16 December, 2020) An inquest into the cause of 9-year old Ella Roberta Adoo Kissi-Debrah’s death concluded today, with the ruling that dangerously high levels of air pollution in London made a “material contribution” and will be recorded as a medical cause of her death in 2013. The inquest was possible thanks to the extraordinary campaign led by her mother, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, now a World Health Organization advocate for health and air quality.

“This is the first time air pollution has been directly linked to the tragic death of a child. The ruling should cause every parent to pause and consider the health impacts on their own children. This preventable tragedy is being repeated daily in many cities across Europe and the world. Governments must take urgent action to meet World Health Organization guidelines for air quality. Enhanced air quality monitoring, better public awareness and policies that target pollution sources can help ensure that Ella’s death, and the thousands like hers, are not completely in vain.”

• Jill Duggan, Executive Director, EDF Europe

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