Understanding air quality inequalities
free and open to all
This webinar presents the work of Defra's Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) report 'Differentials in air pollution exposure across communities and regions in the UK' that was published in March 2025. The purpose of the report was to consider the differentials in air pollutant emissions, concentrations, and exposure across the geographies and communities of the UK, the extent of evidence on these differentials, and highlight gaps in our knowledge.
There are a number of studies in the UK that have identified inequalities in relation to air quality, mainly in terms of differential exposure and socioeconomic status but also relating to ethnicity. The report (and presentation) discusses some of these studies, explores the nuances of differential exposure, and makes recommendations for further research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issues.
This webinar is free and open to all.
Our speaker
Jo Barnes is a Professor of Clean Air with more than 20 years' research experience in air quality management, policy and practice at local, national, European and international levels. She is Co-Director of the Centre for Environment, Society and Resilience, having previously been Director of the Air Quality Management Resource Centre (2023-25). Jo has been employed at the University of the West of England, Bristol since 2008, where she also completed her PhD, researching the effectiveness of Local Air Quality Management. Jo's main research interest is urban air pollution, particularly road traffic-related, helping to understand and raise awareness of the health and environmental justice issues relating to local air pollution, and other urban stressors, to shape and influence policies that improve public health in towns and cities globally. Jo has worked with and on behalf of numerous local authorities, Defra and the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Greater London, the EEA and the European Commission to implement and develop air quality management policies and practices. Jo is a former member of the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) advising Defra, and sits on the Welsh Government Independent Review Panel supporting the review of Air Quality Direction Feasibility Studies.
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