Emily Robinson – CEO of London Sport
Last week, I joined representatives from across the air quality, health, culture, sport and voluntary sectors at City Hall for the roundtable jointly hosted by Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, and Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice to explore how we can better communicate the impact of air pollution and encourage meaningful action.
Air pollution is often viewed primarily as an environmental issue, but the discussion reinforced how closely it is connected to public health, inequalities and physical activity.
There is a real irony here. Being physically active is one of the best things we can do for our long-term health, including our respiratory health. Yet poor air quality can discourage people from walking, cycling or exercising outdoors.
These impacts are not felt equally. Communities experiencing the greatest health inequalities are often exposed to poorer air quality while also facing some of the biggest barriers to being active.
One of the challenges is that air pollution is largely invisible. Many of us routinely check the weather before leaving home, but how many know what the air quality is like where we live, work or exercise?
Making air quality more visible and easier to understand could help people make more informed decisions. Rather than relying on technical information, messages could explain what local air quality might mean for a walk to school, a cycle to work or plans to exercise outdoors. They could also suggest practical actions, such as checking air quality before being active or using apps to find quieter walking and cycling routes.
Trusted organisations and individuals have an important role to play. Coaches, volunteers, teachers, healthcare professionals and community leaders understand the people they work with and can help make information feel local, relevant and practical.
The roundtable also highlighted an opportunity for London Sport. While our precise role is still emerging, there was real appetite for us to be involved.
Our relationships across local government, health, sport and London’s communities could help connect existing expertise with the organisations already supporting Londoners to be active. That might mean helping effective messages reach new audiences, sharing practical information or supporting learning between partners.
Our place-based work has shown us the value of listening to communities and working through trusted local organisations rather than assuming the same approach will work everywhere. There is also an opportunity to build on effective work already taking place, sharing what works rather than creating new approaches in isolation.
Turning that appetite into meaningful action will require further conversations about where London Sport can add the greatest value. It will also require the right capacity and resources to make an effective and sustained contribution.
What is clear is that cleaner air and more active lives are closely connected. The opportunity now is to build on the conversations started at City Hall and explore how, together, we can make a meaningful contribution to this important agenda.
