There are significant overlaps in tackling air pollution and the climate crisis. Decarbonisation can have the added benefits of reducing other non-greenhouse-gas pollutants, and thus improve air quality. However, there can also be trade-offs in tackling the two problems. One such example is the switch within the European Union to diesel cars, whilst it has the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, there was a detrimental effect on air quality due to increased NO2 and particulate matter. This panel discussion brings together experts in the field to discuss the synergies and trade-offs in addressing climate change and air pollution.
The format of the event will be short introductory talks by the panellists. followed by a panel discussion. Professor Joanna Haigh CBE FRS, co-director of the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, will moderate this discussion. Each speaker will talk very briefly about their work and their perspective on solutions and approaches that tackle both air pollution and climate change, this will be followed by questions from Professor Haigh and the floor. The aim is to encourage insightful and lively debate.
This event is the first of a series being co-hosted by NExAir and other Imperial Institutions. The aim of the discussion is to bring together leading researchers from across London universities to show the breadth of knowledge and work being done in the different institutions.
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Biographies
Professor Michael Brauer
Professor Michael Brauer is a Professor in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Further to this, he holds associate appointments in the Division of Respiratory Medicine and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at UBC and is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington. His research focuses on linkages between the built environment and human health, with specific interest in transportation-related and biomass air pollution, the global health impacts of air pollution and relationships between multiple exposures mediated by urban form and population health.
Dr Marc Stettler
Dr Marc Stettler is a lecturer in Transport and the Environment in the Centre for Transport Studies and Director of the Transport & Environment Laboratory at Imperial College London. He works quantifying the environmental impact of transport, primarily in relation to air pollution and climate change. His focus is on understanding what comes out of the emissions tailpipe of a car or the back of a jet engine and what happens once those emissions are released into the atmosphere.
Dr Daniela Fecht
Dr Daniela Fecht is a Lecturer in Geospatial Health at the UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), part of the MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health. Her research focuses on two themes: the Geographical variations in population health, with particular focus on urban systems; and environmental and health inequalities. She co-authored a recent study analysing the health co-benefits from climate change mitigation under the Paris Agreement.
Patrick Feehily
The former Assistant Director for Environment at the Greater London Authority Patrick has 14 year’s technical experience in environment and social disciplines. At the GLA Patrick’s team were responsible for delivering London ‘s first integrated Environment Strategy – specifically looking to capitalise on the synergies between issues such as climate change and air quality. Patrick also had oversight of the delivery of several £multi-million programmes across the Environment agenda.