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As the first person to have air pollution linked to their death, Kiss-Debrah’s death marks a turning point for greener legislation.
In a landmark decision, the UK government has agreed to compensate Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, mother of Ella Kissi-Debrah, who died after a fatal asthma attack in 2013.
Ella’s death certificate, for the first time in British history, listed air pollution as a cause of death, an acknowledgment that has sent ripples through governmental and environmental policy discussions.
Kissi-Debrah was just nine years old when she died, having lived 25 metres from the South Circular Road in Lewisham, south-east London. A coroner’s report in 2020 determined that continued exposure to high levels of air pollution had been a ‘material factor’ in her death.
The South Circular is one of London’s most congested roads, emitting nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter levels exceeding those permitted by law.
After years of campaigning by her mother, Rosamund, the UK government agreed this week to grant the Kissi-Debrah family an undisclosed financial settlement in response to Ella’s death.
Rosamund has since set up the Ella Roberta Foundation, which works to raise awareness around air pollution and demands cleaner solutions for the future.
‘We believe in a world where everyone can breathe air that is free from toxic pollution, regardless of where they live, their economic status or their ethnic background,’ Rosamund writes on the foundation’s website.
The government’s settlement is a small and overdue response to Ella’s tragic death, but it is a significant step forward in placing responsibility on legislators’ shoulders.
In a joint statement, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Transport, and the Department of Health and Social Care expressed their ‘sincere condolences’ to the Kissi-Debrah family.
But Ella’s death, and the government’s response to it, exposes deep flaws in the UK’s approach to environmental health – flaws that demand more than a one-time financial settlement.
Air pollution is a silent killer, the health costs of which continue to multiply at an alarming rate. In the UK alone, thousands of premature deaths are attributed to air pollution every year, yet legislation and enforcement lag woefully behind scientific consensus.
Studies have shown a clear link between poor air quality and respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and even cancer. The science is there, but where is the policy? The tragedy of Ella Kissi-Debrah is a direct result of decades of under-regulation and insufficient environmental protections.
A death certificate alone should have been enough to spark radical change, but meaningful reform remains stagnant, as evidenced by current government targets and air quality standards that still fall short of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
The settlement is an essential step for the Kissi-Debrah family, but true justice will come only when the system that allowed Ella’s death is fundamentally transformed.
Cities like London have taken some localised steps—such as low-emission zones and congestion charges—but these efforts are sporadic and limited in scope.
They do not reflect the scale of the crisis or the urgency with which it must be addressed, and they certainly don’t consider the socio-economic barriers that leave some portions of the population far more vulnerable to air pollution than others.
Research has repeatedly shown that Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities in London are the most exposed to air pollution. There is also emerging evidence linking air pollution with an increased vulnerability to the most severe impacts of COVID.
SARS-CoV-2 is more stable in air containing high levels of CO2, typical of poorly ventilated indoor spaces. This means it lasts longer and is more likely to infect people. Even a moderate rise in CO2 results in a significant increase in the risk of disease transmission. 1/ pic.twitter.com/xtNZEM0FTk
— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur) May 17, 2024
Following the government settlement this week, Rosamund told reporters: ‘I have been fighting for justice for Ella for over 14 years. Firstly, to find out what was making her so severely ill, and secondly to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution.
Nothing will ever make up for the pain and suffering that Ella went through, or for the trauma of losing a beloved daughter and sister at such a young age. The loss to our family is immeasurable.’
Emma Hardy, a minister in the Department for Environment, met with Ella’s siblings and mother following the government’s decision.
‘I have told Ms Hardy today that so much more needs to be urgently done to improve our air quality’ Rosamund said, ‘and I stand ready to assist her and the government to tackle what has become a public health crisis.’
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has urged the government to introduce ‘Ella’s Law’, which she wants to include the ‘right to breathe clean air as a basic human right’, among other measures.
Ella’s case sets a precedent, and her memory must act as a catalyst for legislative action. The settlement acknowledges her loss, but it is not enough to compensate for years of neglect, nor can it replace the life of a nine-year-old whose asthma attacks could have been prevented.
The settlement is a bittersweet victory.
It provides some semblance of accountability but should also serve as a stark reminder of the true cost of pollution – one borne disproportionately by children, the elderly, and communities living near major roads.
It is precisely in such areas that pollution’s impact is most devastating, and where government inaction is felt most acutely.
