The government has apologised to the mother of a schoolgirl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution recorded as a cause of death.
Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, nine, suffered a fatal asthma attack in February 2013 after being exposed to excessive air pollution. She lived 25 metres from the busy South Circular Road in Lewisham, southeast London.
After a landmark case in 2020, Ella became the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death at an inquest in the UK.
Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, had spent years fighting to have the role air pollution played in her daughter’s death officially recognised.
Her late daughter’s estate, for which Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah is an administrator, sued the Environment Department (Defra), the Department for Transport and the Department for Health and Social Care, for compensation over Ella’s “illness and premature death”.
The government departments have now settled the claim for an undisclosed sum.
A statement from the three departments’ ministers to Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said the government was “truly sorry for your loss” and expressed sincere condolences to her, Ella’s siblings and all who knew her.
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The statement acknowledged “no child should suffer as Ella did”.
Ella’s mother and siblings, 17-year-old twins Robert and Sophia, met environment minister Emma Hardy on Thursday.
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah described it as a “bittersweet” moment to receive the apology.
“It’s never going to bring Ella back, we’re heading to Christmas, it’s always a hard time,” she said.
“But I think for the general public, this matters: air pollution is an invisible killer, and this does help bringing it to light.
“Although this isn’t going to bring Ella back, we finally accept this is acknowledgement of what happened to her, and to put the issue of air pollution firmly on the map, that it’s a public health crisis, when we look at the NHS, and something needs to be done about it.
“Today it is finally over, but I am going to continue, and I have been reassured by the government that they’re going to be continuing to work with me to clean up the air.”
She said she received assurances in the meeting that the government will take the issue of air pollution seriously.
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The government apology added: “To lose a loved one at such a young age is an immeasurable loss.
“The tireless work undertaken by Ella’s family and friends over the years, in particular by you, her mother, has shone a much-needed spotlight on the dangers posed by air pollution.
“Air pollution is a public health issue that this government is committed to tackling.”
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The statement also said Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah had helped to ensure the issue was firmly on the government’s agenda.
The meeting was part of the settlement of a civil claim brought by lawyers for Ella’s estate against the government departments for breaches of Ella’s rights under the Human Rights Act, including her right to life.
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