Held on UK Clean Air Day, this year’s WM-Net Zero Annual Meeting brought together more than a hundred researchers, policymakers, charities, community voices, and partners from across the West Midlands and beyond to explore how transport decarbonisation could deliver co-benefits for air quality, public health, and climate mitigation.
Highlights included:
** A compelling opening by our project lead, Professor Zongbo Shi, who reaffirmed our WM-Net Zeroโs mission to share evidence, support policymaking, and quantify the health and economic impacts of climate action.
**Latest research on transport emissions (Dr Jian Zhong, Dr Ye Hang & Dr Jenny Stocker), air quality (Dr James Hall & Dr Suzanne Bartington), & health, and equity (Dr Alexandra (Alex) Penn FRSA & Dr Naomi Bennett-Steele).
**A dynamic panel featuring Christopher Hammond ( UK100), Dr Louise Reardon(University of Birmingham), Kirsten de Vos ( Mums for Lungs), Sally James, HonMFPH (Birmingham City Council), and Paul Fisher (UK Health Security Agency).
**Interactive breakout sessions on topics ranging from citizen perspectives to net-zero housing and policy toolkits.
**Engaging poster displays and a visual exhibition from our Public Involvement in Research Group.
From systems thinking to on-the-ground policy insights, the event showcased the power of collaborative action to shape a more sustainable and equitable future for our region.
Huge thanks to all presenters, facilitators, and our full house of engaged delegates โ and to our partners and our funder, the Wellcome Trust, for supporting this work.
To revise the slides from the Conference, please visit: