A statue in memory of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, the schoolgirl who was the first person to have air pollution recorded as a cause of death on her death certificate, has been unveiled in a park near her south London home.
The bronze “shows her as she was - happy, confident and full of potential”. It stands 1.37m or 4ft 6in tall – the same height Ella was when she died aged nine in February 2013.
The statue was funded with £28,000 in public donations, £25,000 from the Greater London Authority and £2,000 from Lewisham council.
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, whose decision to introduce and expand the Ulez ultra-low emissions zone was inspired by Ella’s death, attended the unveiling ceremony with Ella’s mother, Rosamund.
The inscription under the statue, on a York stone plinth, gives Ella’s full name, age and adds: “The first death caused by excessive air pollution ever recorded.”
The statue has been erected in Mountsfield Park, close to Ella’s home in Lewisham and to the South Circular Road. Emissions from traffic on the road were responsible for her death.
The aim of the statue is to highlight how vulnerable children are to the effects of air pollution.
The statue is overlooks the city and specifically Lewisham hospital, where Ella spent much time during the last two years of her life.
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah said she fely “incredibly emotional” seeing the staue unveiled.
She said: “Seeing how small Ella looks up there brings it home how much time has passed since she died.
“Ella would be 21 now, and if it wasn’t for the illegal levels of air pollution near our home, she would be alive today.
“The statue will be a constant reminder of not just her, her spirit and her warmth, but of the need for us all to continue to talk about air pollution and raise awareness about the damage it is doing to people’s health.
“We cannot see the toxic air we are breathing in everyday, but hopefully this statue will remind us to stop and think, and for decision makers and politicians to do what is right and clean up the air we breathe.”
Sir Sadiq said: “This statue is a powerful tribute to the life of a much-missed young Londoner and will also help educate people about the dangers of toxic air.
“Air pollution is not only an environmental crisis but a matter of social justice, which affects us all, from cradle to grave.
“The ultra low emission zone and our other air quality policies mean Londoners are now all breathing substantially cleaner air than in previous years – but there is still more to do, and I promise to keep taking action.”
Sculptor Hannah Stewart, who used photographs, stories and videos provided by Ella’s family to create the sculpture, said: "I am always struck by how we continue to turn to sculpture to mark significant people, causes and events.
“Despite the many platforms available to us, sculptures remain an important and powerful way to communicate complex messages and emotions while also being a focal point for grief, celebration, pride and learning.
“I hope that this statue of Ella, together with the amazing work that Rosamund is doing, will play a significant role in promoting the importance of clean air for everyone while also offering some comfort to her family and community in their grief.
“As a mother myself, I have felt particularly connected to this commission and am proud to have played a role in spreading this vital message.
“I hope Ella’s statue will help raise awareness of the dangers of poor air quality and the importance of clean air for everyone.”
The choir from Ella’s former primary school, Holbeach, performed two songs at the unveiling.
Last October, Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah secured an undisclosed settlement and apology from three Government departments – the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Transport and the Department for Health - after accusing the Government of breaching Ella’s human rights.
Ella developed severe asthma just before her seventh birthday and was hospitalised 30 times.
The settlement followed a similar admission and “full and unqualified apology” from Sir Sadiq on behalf of the Greater London Authority and Transport for London.
After a first inquest into Ella’s death was quashed, Philip Barlow, the coroner in a second inquest in 2020, concluded that Ella died of “asthma contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution’” and that the pollution had made a “material contribution to Ella’s death”.
He said that, between 2010 and 2013, Ella was exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in excess of World Heath Organisation guidelines. The principal source of her exposure was traffic emissions.
She was the first and remains the only person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death on her death certificate.
