The mother of a London girl who died from air pollution exposure has called for a new international law that forces governments to clean up the environment for future generations.
Rosamund Kissi-Debrah’s remarks come as a coroner made legal history on Wednesday by ruling that illegal levels of pollution, predominantly caused by traffic emissions, caused her daughter Ella’s death.
Philip Barlow, the inner south London coroner, said the nine-year-old was exposed to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter pollution in excess of European Union and World Health Organisation standards.
It is believed the ruling is the first in the world to identify air pollution as a cause of death.
Ms Kissi-Debrah said after the ruling: “We’ve got the justice for her which she so deserved.
“I think that it would be a fitting legacy, to bring in a new Clean Air Act and for governments – I’m not just talking about the UK government, but governments around the world – to take this matter seriously.
“My biggest desire is to prevent future deaths, anything that saves future lives I am going to be in support of.”
The ruling concludes a years-long campaign by Ms Kissi-Debrah to have her daughter’s death examined by a second coroner.
Ella lived within 25 metres of the South Circular Road in Lewisham, a busy London arterial road, and other high-traffic routes.
The coroner ruled that high nitrogen dioxide levels exacerbated her severe asthma.
He said the "recognised failure" of governments to bring pollution down to safe levels had probably contributed to her death.
“The whole of Ella’s life was lived in close proximity to highly polluting roads,” Mr Barlow said.
“I have no difficulty in concluding that her personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide and PM was very high.”
Prof Stephen Holgate, a respiratory expert from the University of Southampton, testified at the inquest that the toxic air Ella was exposed to at her home caused her final acute asthma attack in 2013.
He said the nine-year-old was a “canary in the coal mine”, signalling the risk to other Londoners.
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Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
