Ella’s Law
What is Ella’s Law?
Ella’s Law (the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill) is a proposed UK law, spearheaded by Siân Berry MP and supported by a cross-party group, aiming to establish the human right to breathe clean air. It mandates that the government meet stricter WHO air quality guidelines by providing a pathway to reach those guidelines by 2030, addressing pollution from both indoor and outdoor sources.
Key details about the bill:
Background: Named in memory of nine-year-old Ella Roberta Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who in 2013 became the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.
Purpose: The bill aims to update the 1956 Clean Air Act, requiring the Government to achieve and maintain clean air in England.
Key Measures: It proposes setting stricter, updated air quality limits, monitoring air quality in workplaces, homes, and public spaces, and creating a “Citizens’ Commission for Clean Air” to enforce these standards.
Current Status: A cross-party group of MPs re-introduced this bill into the House of Commons, with a speech on 1 July 2025. It is scheduled for its next reading in Parliament on 27 March 2026.
Campaigners: The bill is supported by Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who has campaigned for over 12 years for air quality targets that would result in a reduction of air pollution, ultimately saving people’s lives.
Why is the bill important?
- Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health and yet it is invisible. People are unaware of how much damage breathing dirty air is causing within their bodies.
- We know that there are 500 preventable deaths from air pollution every week in the UK.
- The Royal College of Physicians 2025 report also highlighted evidence that there are now links between air pollution and almost every organ in the body and the diseases that affect them.
- It calculates that there was an economic burden of £27 billion in 2019 due to healthcare costs, productivity losses and reduced quality of life.
- Above all it highlights how air pollution is a preventable public health threat.
The ultimate hope is that this Government will adopt and back Ella’s Law in her memory: adopt its provisions, take up the important actions it will mandate and recognise in law the human right to breathe clean air.
How MPs Can Take Action
By signing this pledge, MPs commit to:
- Champion Ella’s Law in Parliament.
- Use their influence to encourage the Prime Minister to take forward Ella’s Law as a priority for their government.
- Raise awareness about air pollution and the impact on health to their constituents.
Join Us: Sign the Pledge
If you’re an MP who believes in protecting us all from the devastating impact of air pollution, sign this pledge by sending an email to admin@ellaroberta.org saying ‘I pledge my support’ and help us push for legislative change.
