The Invisible Crisis: Lead, Air Pollution, and Children’s Environmental Health
Some of the greatest threats to human health are also the least visible. Lead poisoning, air pollution, and toxic exposures harm millions of people every year, especially children, yet remain underprioritized in global development agendas. The scale is staggering: these risks contribute to millions of premature deaths, lifelong health impacts, and significant economic losses, while quietly undermining human potential at a global level.
This discussion brings together leaders working on children’s environmental health to explore how we can move from fragmented awareness to coordinated action. What would it take to accelerate progress on eliminating lead exposure, improving air quality, and addressing toxic materials like plastics? How do we translate growing global momentum into durable, country-led solutions?
Participants will also explore the links between environmental health, climate action, and economic development, and the role of financing, data, and partnerships in scaling impact. This session is an opportunity to surface what is working, identify critical gaps, and build the collaborations needed to tackle one of the most urgent, yet overlooked, challenges of our time.
Speakers
Chris Hagerbaumer is Executive Director of OpenAQ, advancing global access to open air quality data.
Hassan Aftab Sheikh is Research Fellow in Nature Finance at the University of Oxford, focusing on financing nature recovery and climate risk.
Lee Crawfurd is Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development.
Andrew (Drew) McCartor is President of Pure Earth, leading global efforts to reduce exposure to toxic pollutants and improve public health.
Discussion Questions
Why do issues like lead poisoning and air pollution remain underprioritized despite their massive impact, and how can that change?
What are the most effective pathways to scale country-led solutions for reducing toxic exposures?
How can financing, data, and partnerships be mobilized to accelerate progress on clean air and environmental health?
How can addressing environmental health risks also advance climate action, economic development, and equity?
Location & access
Accessibility matters deeply to us, and we do our best to choose spaces that reflect that. That said, some of our Oxford venues are in historic buildings without lifts. This room is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users, those with mobility challenges, or anyone needing step-free access.