News

New partnership aims to improve local air quality 9 Feb 2024

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is joining forces with Hammersmith & Fulham Council (H&F) and Imperial College London for a three-year partnership to improve local air quality. By making the most of their collective expertise, the partners hope to help improve the health and wellbeing of residents in the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and beyond.
Improving air quality is one of the 12 goals outlined in our Green Plan.

The partnership, which was launched at Imperial College London’s White City Campus on Friday 9 February, has a number of objectives including:

• Raising public awareness of air quality issues in the borough, such as different sources of pollution and areas with high pollution levels.
• Helping residents to reduce their exposure to pollution.
• Developing evidence-based solutions to improve air quality in the borough.

Its work will include public engagement (such as educational campaigns and citizen science initiatives), seminars, joint funding bids, and workshops and training sessions for H&F staff, residents and stakeholders.
 
Dr Bob Klaber, director of strategy, research and innovation, and net zero board lead, at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to support the health and wellbeing of people living and working in our local communities, both in and outside of our hospitals.

“Reducing air pollution, which can have a devastating impact on health, is an important part of this. I'm delighted that we are joining forces with Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Imperial College London for this ambitious project to improve local air quality.
 
“This is a huge challenge locally and can only be addressed by making the most of our collective expertise, working together with our local communities.”
 
Cllr Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham, said: “Dirty air is a threat to us all. We’re working in partnership with experts at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to deliver a cleaner, healthier and greener borough as we take back control of the air we breathe.
 
“We’re already pioneering pollution-busting climate action, from ‘solar leaf’ clean air tech and Tiny Forests, through to Britain’s densest network of EV charge points, energy-efficient homes built to Passivhaus standard and local heat networks to help us switch the borough to clean energy.”
 
Professor Frank Kelly, director of Imperial College London's Environmental Research Group, said: “Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health. Even though air quality has improved in recent decades, it is still affecting the health of all residents, especially children and those with pre-existing health problems. We therefore welcome and applaud Hammersmith & Fulham’s ambition to improve air quality in the Borough and to reduce the health burden that currently exists and is putting pressure on the NHS.”
 
“Imperial’s contribution to this initiative provides the expertise and understanding to identify air pollution hotspots and effective measures to mitigate the sources of pollution. Where appropriate, we can also demonstrate the links between exposure to pollution and ill health which provide a strong basis for taking remedial action.
 
“Together, the Hammersmith & Fulham Borough, Imperial and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust make a formidable team and we hope that the actions of this partnership will lead to Hammersmith & Fulham having the best air quality in London.”

Find out more about our Green Plan, and our wider effort to reducing our impact on the environment and reach carbon net zero before 2045.