Northern Air Quality Conference 2023 confirms final speakers

Air Quality News‘ inaugural event of the calendar will take place at The Midland Hotel in central Manchester on Thursday 23rd March. Tickets are available now.

This year’s edition will see Cllr Beverley Nielsen return as chair. A familiar face to anyone who attended 2022’s north of England gathering, or the National Air Quality Conference in London early-November, we’re delighted to once again welcome our favourite Associate Professor at Birmingham City University and Independent Councillor at Worcestershire County Council. 

Politics and Local Governance 

Jenny Jones will also be present on the day. The Baroness of Moulsecoomb – inducted into the House of Lords in 2013 as the first Green Party representative of the upper chamber – she’s among Britain’s most visible and commanding environmental politicians. Suffice to say, we’re eager to hear what she has to say. 

Elsewhere, Andy Hickford will be making the journey across the Pennines to present the work of Leeds City Council’s Climate, Energy & Green Spaces Service, which holds responsibility for the area’s Climate Emergency Action Programme. Covering Energy, Decarbonisation, Parks and Countryside, and Corporate Buildings, Andy has played a pivotal role in securing one of the largest zero-emissions fleets in the UK and leads on electric vehicle infrastructure.

Policy and Research  

Having contributed to the Air Quality News podcast in 2022, Professor Rosie McEachan of Born In Bradford will be offering insights into public health messaging and studying policy impacts. Bradford’s Clean Air Zone went live last year, so we’re keen to learn more about the campaigns, support and intended outcomes of the scheme. 

With more understanding of the connection between social, racial and environmental justice, Nannette Yousef will present the work of Runnymede Trust – the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. Specifically, this presentation will look to at the critical pollution and environmental challenges faced by people of colour and the most disadvantaged in society.

Academia and Industry

Professor Alastair Lewis is an expert in Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of York. Charged with analysing gas and aerosol phase processes, the institution’s experimental and modelling approaches feed into cutting edge work in the field of air pollution and environmental impact, which should make for invaluable input at the conference.

Meanwhile, Jacob Roberts will call on a longstanding history of pushing the transport industry towards zero emissions, with experience working with local government, REA and the Energy Saving Saving Trust. Now at Cenex, he will introduce company insights from its position at the cutting edge of clean travel since 2005. 

Tickets and full information on all speakers can be found here.

To understand why our events are so valuable revisit last year’s reports:

2022 National Air Quality Conference

2022 Northern Air Quality Conference

Image: C Dustin