Air pollution

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Air Pollution Companion: Clean air community

We want to mobilise and empower paediatricians - in the UK and internationally - as advocates for clean air, providing you with knowledge and skills to raise awareness about air pollution's impact on child health. By working together to educate children, families and communities, amplify messagin...

Air pollution

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Child health and climate change episode 3: Nepal

16 October 2024

In this final episode of our podcast series on the changing climate, this mountainous country is seeing extreme temperature fluctuations, landslides and air pollution, endangering communities and impacting healthcare. But, there are some lessons around adaptation, as our guests who work or have volu...

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Air Pollution Companion: Advocacy toolkit - Build your skills

This page focuses on developing specific skills to support your advocacy work. Remember, as a healthcare professional you already have a range of skills that you can draw from. Effective advocacy, like clinical work, requires you to listen to others’ concerns, understand the evidence base, build tru...

Air pollution

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Air Pollution Companion: Advocacy toolkit - Find inspiration

If you have decided you're ready to step out of your comfort zone and expand your sphere of influence beyond the clinic room, this section is for you. Find inspiration through learning about clean air advocacy happening across the UK and further afield.

Air pollution

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Child health and climate change episode 2: Canada

9 October 2024

Floods, heatwaves and wildfires have become increasingly common across Canada. And as retired paediatrician Dr Julian Pleydell-Pearce explains in this episode of our climate change podcast series, this makes a profound impact on the lives of children and young people - and the way health services ar...

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More action needed to protect children from air pollution say children’s doctors

19 September 2024

As part of their updated position statement, RCPCH is calling for stronger action from the UK government to protect children from the health harms of air pollution.

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Air pollution in the UK - position statement

Air pollution poses a serious threat to children's health in the UK, contributing to a range of adverse health outcomes and premature mortality. This updated position statement reviews the latest evidence, now including the impact of indoor air pollution on children. With pollutants from both outdoo...

Air pollution

News

From hot days to healthier futures - tackling air pollution for child health

28 August 2024

After a day with the RCPCH Clean Air team in rural Nottinghamshire, Dr Helena Clements, RCPCH Officer for Climate Change, shares her insights on advocating for cleaner air and driving policy change at local, regional, and national levels to protect children’s health.

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RCPCH respond to UNICEF’s climate change report

26 July 2024

UNICEF has published a report, ‘A threat to progress: Confronting the effects of climate change on child health and well-being.’ The College responds, noting our responsibility to call for action on areas such as high greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, food and water supplies and climate-re...

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Public transport and air pollution: why the new government urgently needs to act

12 July 2024

Dr. Alice Willson, RCPCH Clinical Fellow in the Clean Air Fund Partnership, reflects on the crucial need for equitable and efficient public transport to reduce air pollution and protect children's health.