We are delighted to announce the 2023 National Air Quality Conference will be returning to the world-famous Lord’s Cricket Ground on November 8th. This will be our 4th 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.
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CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Dr. Gary Fuller, Imperial College London
Gary is an air pollution scientist at Imperial College London. He is one of the country’s three UKRI Clean Air Champions, working to provide leadership and coordination across the Clean Air Programme and within the wider research and stakeholder community.
His research interests focus on urban air pollution, how this is changing and how it affects our health.
He led the development of the London Air Quality Network to become the largest urban network in Europe and is a member of Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group.
Gary was also a co-author of Every Breath You Take, the Royal College of Physician’s report on the life-long impacts air pollution.
He describes himself as passionate about communicating air pollution science to policymakers and the public. This has included evidence to the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee and the Greater London Assembly.
Gary is a regular contributor to the Guardian, for whom he writes the Pollution Watch column and he also declares a keen interest in air pollution history and how the lessons from the past can help future air pollution management. These themes are explored in his book ‘The Invisible Killer – the rising global threat of air pollution and how we can fight back.’
Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Green Party & London Assembly Member
Zack Polanski is the Deputy Leader of the Green Party & London Assembly Member. Zack is also elected to the London Assembly where he chaired the environment committee for the last two years. He convened a cross party report into air pollution making recommendations to the Mayor – including passing a motion across the Assembly in support of Ella’s Law
Hirra Khan Adeogun, Co-Director at Possible
Hirra was the campaign lead of the landmark Car Free Megacities programme, a two-year project across London, New York and Paris to reimagine our cities as places where private cars become obsolete and to dramatically raise policy and public support for urban car reduction.
She previously managed events for Amnesty International UK, extensively explored British Muslim identities at New Horizons in British Islam, and used evidence and insight around the experiences of underrepresented people to drive positive change. She is passionate about designing sustainable futures that centre social justice, human rights and community cohesion.
Quentin Willson
One of the UK’s best-known motoring faces, Quentin was a Top Gear presenter for over a decade, wrote and presented BBC2’s The Car’s The Star, started Channel 5’s Fifth Gear, created the Britain’s Worst Driver format and The Classic Car Show.
He’s also a vocal campaigner on fuel prices and is co-founder of FairCharge which works to ensure the UK has the right EV-related policies for the environment, economy and drivers. A regular face in Westminster, Quentin lobbies ministers and MPs to getter a better deal for Britain’s 40 million licence holders and is currently campaigning for a reduction in the VAT on public charging, which disadvantages the 38% without driveways in switching to EVs.
Angela Halliwell, Head of Carbon and Environmental Sustainability, National Highways and Stephen Inch, Air Quality Programme Lead, National Highways
Angela joined National Highways as the Head of the newly formed Central Carbon Team in January 2022, leading the transformation of the Company’s carbon, including the implementation of the Net Zero Plan. In December 2022 National Highways become the world’s first major roads company to achieve a PAS2080 accredited Carbon Management System.
As part of the restructure of the new Environmental Sustainability Division she has led the Carbon and Air Quality Group since July 2022, bringing together National Highways’ team of technical Air Quality specialists and the Air Quality Programme. Since being in post she has expanded the Group to ensure pace in the delivery of the Air Quality Programme, to bring the network into N02 compliance in the shortest time possible.
Joining Angela for a joint presentation will be Stephen Inch who recently joined National Highways as Air Quality programme lead. Prior to this, Stephen helped to lead the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Team, where he helped deliver a number of key projects including the Ultra Low Emission Zone and Low Emission Zone for Non-Road Mobile Machinery as well as developing innovative Air Quality Neutral and Air Quality Positive policies.
Cllr Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader, Waltham Forest Council
As Waltham Forest’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality, Cllr Clyde Loakes leads on all environmental, climate and transport policies, as well as highways and parking management. Clyde provided the political leadership from the initial bidding process through to the implementation and delivery of the multi award winning and ground-breaking Mini-Holland/Enjoy Waltham Forest. The scheme has delivered significant investment and radical expansion and improvements to the borough’s active travel infrastructure, boosting the safety, priority and numbers of residents walking and cycling.
And our chair for the day – Cllr Beverley Nielsen, Associate Professor and Executive Director at Birmingham City University
Cllr Beverley Nielsen is Associate Professor and Director at the Institute for Design, Economic Acceleration & Sustainability (IDEAS) at Birmingham City University, UK. She has written and edited books on topics as diverse as Brexit, English regions and devolution, Green Economy and Green Manufacturing as well as on Redesigning Manufacturing. She was Director of FTSE 250 plc, Aga Rangemaster and MD of Fired Earth having served as an Expert Commissioner on the All-Party Manufacturing Group at the House of Commons. She sits as an independent district and county councillor in Worcestershire, holding the Environment Portfolio on Malvern Hills District Council.
Agenda
09:40 – 09:55 – Opening remarks from Paul Day, Editor of AQN, and our host, Beverley Nielsen
09:55 – 10:35 – Zack Polanksi, Deputy Leader of The Green Party
10:35 – 11:15 – Quentin Willson, EV campaigner
11:15 – 1150 – Morning refreshments break
11:50 – 12:35 – Panel discussion
12:35 – 13:30 – Lunch
13:30 – 14:10 – Cllr Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader, Waltham Forest Council
14:10 – 14:50- Angela Halliwell, Head of Carbon and Environmental Sustainability, National Highways and Stephen Inch, Air Quality Programme Lead, National Highways
14:50 – 15:25 – Afternoon refreshments
15:25 – 16:05 – Hirra Khan Adeogun, Co-Director, Possible
16:05 – 16:45 – Dr Gary Fuller, UK Clean Air Champion, Imperial College London
16:45 – 16:55 – Closing remarks
Booking
Bookings are no longer available for this event.