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Ethics and air pollution

All College members are invited to the first Friday Forum of the academic year, on the ethics of air pollution. 

We are delighted to welcome to the discussion Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England. The event is organised in collaboration with ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s Environmental Research Group, and is chaired by Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, lead author of the Royal College of Physician’s recent report on air quality, ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’.

We will be discussing two ethical aspects of air pollution. Firstly, we examine the relation between air pollution, resultant poor health, and inequality. Secondly, we showcase the way ethical judgement relies on understanding different world views and different sources of knowledge. Air pollution is a complex area where researchers, policy analysts and politicians must triangulate information from many sources. Those sources include the university, the town hall, the school and the home. In this kind of mastery Sir Chris Whitty is an exemplar, and we look also to ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s Environmental Research Group as a research unit that thrives on interdisciplinarity. 

This event is one of the Friday Forums, a series of events where staff from across the campus can come together for a brief but considered discussion of an ethical issue. All College members are invited: these are good opportunities to meet colleagues and to gain new perspectives. A Friday Forum consists of a panel followed by ample time for audience Q and A. Do come along expecting to be involved in lively debate. 

Panellists

• Professor Sir Stephen Holgate KBE, MD, DSc, FRCP, FMedSci, Professor of Immunopharmacology, Southampton University. Chair.
• Professor Sir Chris Whitty KCB FRS FRCP, Chief Medical Officer for England and NHS consultant physician at University College London Hospitals.
• Dr Elizabeth Wan, physician and member of ‘Mums for Lungs’.
• Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy (tbc).

Respondents

• Dr Kayla Schulte, Environmental Research Group.
• Jamila Bolton-Gordon, White City campaigner for clean air.

All attendees are invited for lunch (12:00-13:00), followed by a panel discussion (13:00-14:15) on the subject.