The start of the year is a good time for thinking about the achievements and challenges of the previous year, and looking forward to what can be done ahead. In the context of the climate health and ecological crisis, it often feels as if we have not done enough to secure a healthy long-term future for the children already born and those still to come.
But despite that urgency, there has been real momentum. Across RCPCH and through the work of dedicated individuals, we’ve seen meaningful action that deserves recognition. Our partnership with the Clean Air Fund, completed in the summer of 2025, has laid great foundations in our Air Pollution Companion for every member to use. It has also helped us to forge strong collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, which is ongoing.
Many organisations, including RCPCH, contributed to the passing of Awaab’s Law in October 2025 and the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill “Ella’s law” was reintroduced to the House of Commons, meaning that our most vulnerable children can live in healthier homes and, hopefully soon, all children will have the basic right to clean air.
We need new homes which are affordable, low energy and resilient as our climate changes, and provide green spaces where children can grow and thrive
I had the privilege of representing RCPCH at a number of cross sectoral meetings in 2025. The first was with Abi Whitehouse, senior lecturer in respiratory paediatrics talking to a number of senior business leads in the house building sector discussing the impact of poor housing on child health. The urgent need to improve our existing building stock is obvious. But we also need to build new homes which are affordable, low energy, resilient as our climate changes, and provide green spaces where children can grow and thrive. It was a great opportunity to get this point across to builders who may never have considered the health impacts of their work.
In July 2025 I joined leads from pharma, the private health sector, insurers and health economists to share ideas about how we work together to join the dots between climate, health and industry. This was the first of three meetings so far in which we hope to deliver concrete actions properly centred around clear communication about the impacts and actions that are necessary as individuals and organisations. Watch this space!
...we need more focus on adapting to the already inevitable consequences of climate change
Within RCPCH, we’ve had interesting conversations around strategy and our role in advocacy, alongside providing information, evidence and training to paediatricians. I wish I had known more about the advocacy part of RCPCH long ago. It is something that I think all members should be proud of. In terms of climate change, there is strong consensus that environmental health is a cross-cutting theme relevant to all aspects of paediatrics. It is acknowledged that we need more focus on adapting to the already inevitable consequences of climate change.
The new Greener paediatrics section on this website went live in December. I'm excited by the sub-specialty section where we are using a simple template to collect ideas and examples of sustainable practice and innovation for all our sub-specialties. We have a worked example for respiratory paediatrics and a sustainability supplement to the new asthma guidelines. The idea is to encourage specialty paediatricians to look at their specialty with a green lens and identify sustainable practice, lean pathways and opportunities for development. This is fundamental to achieve the NHS Green Plan and a vital part of delivering resilient and lower carbon to babies, children and young people.