On 23 June 2025, Professor Zongbo Shi, WM-Net Zero scientific lead, contributed expert insight at Climate and the Future of Health, an event hosted by The Conduit in London. The session brought together health, environment, and policy leaders to explore how the climate crisis is driving a public health emergency — and how action on clean air can deliver measurable health improvements.
Professor Shi opened the panel with a scientific overview of the health impacts of air pollution, presenting global and regional data on emissions, exposure, and health outcomes. He highlighted real-world evidence, showing how local interventions can reduce pollution and improve population health.
Drawing on WM-Net Zero research and broader international studies, Professor Shi also emphasised the need to address inequalities in exposure and outcomes, especially for children, older adults, and low-income communities.
The panel, Tackling the Health Crisis of Air Pollution, was chaired by Alejandro Colsa Perez (C40 Cities) and included contributions from Jane Burston (Clean Air Fund), Marina Romanello (Lancet Countdown), Agnes Agyepong (Global Child and Maternal Health), and Elliot Treharne (Greater London Authority).
The session explored the health sector’s role in air quality, the importance of public awareness and preventative care, and the co-benefits of decarbonisation as both climate action and public health strategy.
Members of the WM-Net Zero team attended the 18th Annual UK & Ireland Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Conference, hosted at Space Park Leicester on 3 July 2025.
Dr Suzanne Bartington, WM-Net Zero project co-lead, delivered a presentation on the “Assessment of health and economic co-benefits of net-zero policy pathways: development of a multi-methods policy appraisal toolkit for the West Midlands region.”
The presentation showcased ongoing efforts to integrate air quality, health, and economic evidence into regional policy planning for transport decarbonisation.
Dr Bartington was joined by colleagues Dr James Hall, PhD student Abeer Albdour, Dr Chee Yang Chung, and Shi Chang, who took part in a day of knowledge exchange with academic and public health professionals from across the UK and Ireland.
The conference provided a valuable platform to share insights from WM-Net Zero and to engage with a growing community working at the intersection of climate, health, and environmental policy.