British government settles legal claim following air pollution-related death of girl

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The British government has apologized and settled a legal claim related to the death of a nine-year-old girl from an asthma attack that a coroner blamed in part on air pollution, lawyers said Thursday.

Three government agencies have settled the lawsuit brought by Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah's estate for “an undisclosed sum” ahead of a Supreme Court trial, the law firm representing the family announced.

The lawsuit alleged that the young girl's right to life under the Human Rights Act had been violated.

“Ella’s suffering and death was a tragedy,” ministry ministers wrote in a letter to her mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.

“We take this opportunity once again to express that we are sincerely sorry for your loss,” they added. “Losing a loved one at such a young age is an immeasurable loss.”

Ministers said in the letter that Britain's new Labor government, elected in July, was committed to tackling air pollution with a “comprehensive and ambitious” strategy.

“We are also conducting a comprehensive review of how we communicate air quality information to ensure the public and those at risk have the information they need to stay safe,” it said.

Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, from south-east London, died of acute respiratory failure following a severe asthma attack in February 2013 after being exposed to poor air quality for most of her life.

She lived in southeast London, just 30 meters (33 yards) from a major ring road in the British capital that is often clogged with heavy traffic.

She had been hospitalized almost 30 times in previous years with breathing difficulties.

In the first legal verdict, coroner Philip Barlow ruled in December 2020 that pollution from vehicle emissions had made a “significant contribution” to her death.

In his report he called for the UK to introduce legally binding air pollution targets based on World Health Organization guidelines, which has now happened.

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah and Ella's siblings met with Junior Environment Minister Emma Hardy on Thursday as part of the agreement.

“I told Ms. Hardy today that much more urgently needs to be done to improve our air quality,” Rosamund said in a statement.

She added that she was “ready to assist in a public health crisis.”

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