The 2026 Northern Air Quality Conference
25th March 2026
We are delighted to announce the 2026 Northern Air Quality Conference will again be at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, taking place on March 25th. This will be our 6th edition of the event, and as ever, we will be bringing together some of the most important policymakers & leading academics who are working on solutions to the challenges created by air pollution and clean air provision. Our exhibition will also profile organisations who are offering solutions to the challenges we face in delivering improved air quality.
Early Bird tickets for this key event are limited – please use the form below to make the most of the best-value tickets.
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CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Dr Jim McQuaid
Jim McQuaid is based at the University of Leeds and has been involved in atmospheric observations for over 25 years. His research spans Saharan dust, cloud responses to warming, and aerosol impacts on Greenland’s surface. Recently, he has focused on low-cost sensors to monitor PM2.5 and helped create the UK’s largest network outside London, in collaboration with Leeds City Council. He’s also led deployments in Indonesia to track peatland fire pollution. Committed to public engagement, he works with schools and communities, and in 2023, created the Air Quality Stripes to communicate global PM2.5 trends since 1850.
Jayda David, LIVE + BREATHE
Jayda David is Projects and Youth Consultant at LIVE + BREATHE and was the voice and face of LIVE + BREATHE’s launch video with her original poem ‘Breathe Like You’ highlighting the aims and community spirit behind the 2022 launch.
An acclaimed poet and spoken word artist, Jayda’s work and art has been studied at the University of Aberdeen as part of the English Literature degree. She was invited by the United Nations to be a global BreatheLife campaign voice and her poem for Ella Roberta Adoo Kissi Debrah was selected by the World Health Organisation to be performed at their Second Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Columbia.
Waseem Zaffar MBE
Waseem has served Birmingham City Council as the Cabinet lead for transport, environment, clean air, climate change, highways, equalities, social justice, community safety and creating a cohesive city. He has led on developing several high profile projects including the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, the Birmingham Transport Plan and the Birmingham Clean Air Strategy.
Waseem was for many years a Justice of Peace on the Birmingham & Solihull bench, as well as the CEO of a Handsworth not-for-profit organisation. His community work has been recognised by several awards including an MBE for services to the voluntary sector.
As well as being the Director of Midlands Community Solutions CIC, Waseem is a Board Member of The Active Wellbeing Society and Associate Director of the Clean Air Justice Network.
Professor James Allen
Professor James Allan is professor of air pollution measurement in the department of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Manchester, and the air pollution programme leader at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).
His research specialises in the measurement of air pollutants in the atmosphere and laboratory, with a particular focus the measurement of particulate matter using online chemical composition instrumentation. He has contributed to the development of new measurement and data analysis technologies, including aerosol mass spectrometry, single particle soot photometry and multivariate data analysis techniques. He also operates the Manchester Air Quality Supersite in Fallowfield.