A proposed law is being championed by a cross-party group of London MPs to establish clean air as a human right. The bill is known as "Ella's Law", in memory of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah whobecame the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Since Brexit, the EU has pushed ahead with tighter air pollution targets than the UK. This bill would force England to follow suit, by meeting strict new World Health Organization limits by 2030. The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill is being reintroduced in the Commons by the former Green party co-leader and London Assembly member Sian Berry, after parliamentary time ran out during previous attempts. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Berry said British people should have "the right to grow up and grow old without stunted lungs, without preventable diseases like asthma, and without disabling and potentially lethal harm being done to our lungs, hearts and brains by preventable air pollution". She quoted a new report by the Royal College of Physicians, which said evidence gathered over the past decade suggested there were now "links between air pollution and almost every organ in the body and the diseases that affect them". Families were still losing loved ones, she argued, to dementia, cancer and heart disease made worse by pollution. Berry, who is now the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, did however praise recent improvements in London's air quality. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), which charges the most polluting vehicles, was introduced by London's Labour mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, in 2019, and expanded to include outer London in 2023. Berry said she hoped the government would get behind the new bill. London MPs also backing it include Labour's Stella Creasey, Uma Kumaran, and Bell Ribeiro-Addy. The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, will get its second reading in the Commons on 7 November 2025. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London onSoundsand follow BBC London onFacebook,XandInstagram. Send your story ideas tohello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk
Clean air bill championed by cross-party MPs
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"London MPs Propose 'Ella's Law' to Establish Clean Air as a Human Right"
TruthLens AI Summary
A new legislative initiative, known as "Ella's Law," is being spearheaded by a coalition of cross-party MPs in London, aiming to recognize clean air as a fundamental human right. This initiative is named in memory of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who tragically became the first individual in the UK to have air pollution officially cited as a cause of death. The proposed Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill seeks to align England with stricter air quality standards set by the World Health Organization by the year 2030, especially in light of the European Union's recent advancements in air pollution targets since Brexit. The bill is being reintroduced by Sian Berry, a former co-leader of the Green Party and current MP for Brighton Pavilion, after previous attempts were thwarted by time constraints in Parliament. In her address to the Commons, Berry articulated the necessity for British citizens to enjoy clean air, free from the detrimental effects of pollution, which can lead to serious health issues such as asthma, heart disease, and even dementia. She referenced a report from the Royal College of Physicians that highlights the extensive impact of air pollution on various organs and their associated diseases, underscoring the urgency of the bill's passage.
In addition to the legislative push, Berry acknowledged the improvements in air quality achieved through initiatives like the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), implemented by London Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2019, which imposes charges on the most polluting vehicles and was recently expanded to cover outer London areas in 2023. Berry expressed hope that the government would support the new bill, which has garnered backing from several London MPs, including Labour members Stella Creasey, Uma Kumaran, and Bell Ribeiro-Addy. The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill is scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons on November 7, 2025, marking a significant step forward in the campaign for improved air quality and public health in the UK.
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