SEM’s CEO Maxwell Ayamba BEM, was invited by Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP: Member of Parliament for Clapham and Brixton Hill, and Chair of the Black Maternal Health Parliamentary Group to the Houses of Parliament, to attend the Toxic Air and Social Justice: The Unequal Burden of Air Pollution Seminar on February 4th 2025.
The event was attended by over 200 people and chaired by Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP with speakers including Rosamund Kissi-Debrah: Founder and Director of the Ella Roberta Foundation, and mother of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose life was tragically cut short by the devastating impact of air pollution. Baroness Jenny Jones: Member of the House of Lords and Sponsor of the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, also known as Ella’s Law, Siân Berry MP: Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion and the Green Party’s lead on air pollution, L’myah Sherae: CEO of Enact Equality and responsible for leading a national campaign against racial injustice and air pollution and Anna Garrod: Director of Policy, Influencing and Change at Impact on Urban Health.
The event was also attended by journalists from Sky News, BBC News, The Guardian, Metro, and The Independent, as well as representatives from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Office.
The turnout was a powerful reminder of how deeply the issues of air pollution and racial justice resonates with communities impacted by air pollution. That led to the Enact Equality’s Racial Justice Campaign for Clean Air petition calling on the Labour Government to take urgent action to address the health inequalities caused by toxic air pollution.
SEM’s CEO in his contribution at the event highlighted the fact that people in marginalised communities have no idea the correlation between the air they breathe and the health impact that many are experiencing. He pointed out that not until SEM took groups out to the Peak District National Park that the difference in air quality is often noticeable.
Maxwell pointed out at the event that SEM often used the Imperial College’s Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) field guides and workbooks to take groups outdoors irrespective of age, background and education to use natural indicators such lichens to help identify types of lichens that are nitrogen dioxide insensitive and thus indicating high levels of air pollution e.g., in areas such as Tinsley near the M1. He told the gathering that the OPAL Explore Nature initiative is a well placed nation wide citizen science project that can be rolled out, and implored the Government to support practical methods that would empower marginalised communities groups to become aware of the impact of air pollution in their communities and to take action.
