Noise Action Week: Launch Event

Join us to mark the launch of Noise Action Week 2026 and discover how this important campaign will raise awareness of noise pollution and its impacts on health and wellbeing.

During the event, the Noise Action Week team will look back at the campaign’s journey so far, share key successes and challenges, and outline the aims and priorities for 2026. You will hear about upcoming activities, this year’s campaign themes, and how you can play a role in supporting Noise Action Week.

The launch will also feature a presentation from internationally recognised expert Professor Charlotte Clark, who will share the latest evidence on how noise pollution affects our health.
 

Our Chair

Paul Shields, President-Elect, Institute of Acoustics

Paul Shields has over 35 years’ experience in acoustic consultancy and research and is a Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA). His expertise spans environmental noise and vibration, particularly in relation to industrial activity, large-scale construction, and railway infrastructure, as well as in leading and developing technical teams. Paul has worked on some of the UK’s largest and most complex engineering projects, including Crossrail, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, and High Speed 1 and 2. In 2024, he took up a lecturing role at the University of Derby.

Paul serves on several IOA committees and, in 2024, became President‑Elect of the Institute. He has also previously served as a board member of the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC), including a term as Chair. Through his long-standing involvement with both the IOA and ANC, Paul brings a comprehensive understanding of the UK acoustics profession and an extensive network of experts across a wide range of specialist fields. He is a strong advocate for professional development, believing firmly in creating opportunities for learning and growth at all career stages—not only for those early in their careers, but also for experienced practitioners seeking to build or maintain competence.
 

Our speakers

Professor Charlotte Clark

Charlotte is an expert in applying social science to the problem of noise effects on health and communities. She leads the design of impactful interdisciplinary research assessing the impacts of noise and interventions on health and quality of life, informing national and international guidance and policy development. She has led influential evidence reviews on the effects of environmental noise on physical and mental health, wellbeing, and learning for the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK).

Charlotte leads the £1.7M Department for Transport ANNE (Aviation Night Noise Effects) study, the first UK study of the effects of aviation noise on sleep disturbance for 30 years, which is designed to inform UK aviation policy. She leads studies evaluating the effect of Heathrow Airport’s school insulation scheme and home insulation scheme on health, wellbeing, and quality of life. She co-leads the £1.7M EPSRC Noise Network Plus, an interdisciplinary network addressing the environmental challenge of noise pollution. She has advised on the health impacts of large infrastructure projects (Heathrow Expansion, High Speed 2). She is President of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN).

Don Taylor, Noise Action Week Chair

Don Taylor has been an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) for 30 years having studied at Nottingham Trent University. Don worked in several authorities before settling in Fife in 2007 and has been a manager at Fife Council ever since. Don has worked in noise for 25 years and has extensive experience of assessing and commenting on planning applications for Environmental Health. Don actively worked with Environmental Protection Scotland over several years before becoming part of the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) at the IES. He is the Chair of the EPIC Noise Action Week working group.

Ellie Savage, Noise Action Week Coordinator

Ellie is the Policy Lead at the IES and also coordinates the IES Enviornmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC), who organise Noise Action Week, and the National Contaminated Land Officers Group (NCLOG). Ellie was recognised in the 2025 ENDs Power List as one of the 100 most impactful environmental professionals in the UK.

About Noise Action Week

Noise Action Week is the UK's campaign to raise awareness and reduce noise pollution. It is organised by the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) at the IES. Find out more here.

Header image credit: © kanin via Adobe Stock