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West Midlands Air Quality Conference

On Thursday the 5th of June 2025, the WMCA is hosting the West Midlands Air Quality Conference at the Studio in Birmingham. 

Since 2023, the West Midlands Combined Authority has been leading a Defra-funded project, working closely with local authorities and the University of Birmingham, to highlight the issue of poor air quality and what people in the region can do to reduce their exposure. This event will provide the results of this work, ranging from improving monitoring and data, to behaviour change and raising awareness. This will be in the context of the regional Air Quality Framework, so we will also be looking to the future and how we continue collaborating with regional partners to improve air quality for everyone in the West Midlands.
 

Register for the event here.

To find out more about the air quality work in the West Midlands, including seeing near real time data, visit our new West Midlands region air quality website: cleanair.wmca.org.uk

Agenda 

Please see below for an outline agenda of the conference:

  • A summary of the West Midlands Air Quality Framework and the Defra funded project.
  • Presentations from a number of partner organisations on their air quality delivery.
  • A discussion on community delivery and capacity building.
  • Breakout sessions covering behaviour change, policy and targets, transport interventions and indoor air quality. 
  • Panel discussion and Q&A.

Conference Speakers

The event will feature talks from leaders in air quality and the latest progress in health, behaviour change and data. 

Confirmed speakers so far include:

  • Richard Parker: Mayor of the West Midlands
  • Professor William Bloss PhD: Professor of Atmospheric Science and Head of College of Life & Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham.
  • Dr Abigail Whitehouse: Senior Clinical Lecturer and Respiratory Paediatrician, Queen Mary University of London.
  • Catherine Kenyon: Head of Programmes, Clean Air, Global Action Plan.
  • Waseem Zaffar MBE: Councillor at Birmingham City Council, Board Member of The Active Wellbeing Society and Associate Director of the Clean Air Justice Network.
  • Kirsten de Vos: Campaigner and volunteer for Mums for Lungs and Better Streets for Birmingham.

  • Elizabeth Stephens: Air Quality Manager, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

  • Dr Suzanne Bartington: Clinical Associate Professor in Environmental Health, University of Birmingham.

  • Dr Prasad Nagakumar: Paediatric Respiratory Consultant, Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
  • Dr Mubasshir Ajaz: Head of Health and Communities at West Midlands Combined Authority.

 

Contact

If you have any questions, please email: environment@wmca.org.uk