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UCL's COP28 team
Meet our UCL Climate Experts attending COP28 and the team supporting them.
Media enquiries
For enquiries and to connect with academics, kindly reach out to the UCL Media Relations Team.
UCL Climate Experts
Prof Mark Maslin
Expertise
Climate Change
"My research shows that using win-win solutions to shift the global economy to net zero emissions will make everyone safer, healthier and wealthier. I want to see a clear commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions rapidly in the next ten years. I want to see a transparent and equitable agreement on Loss and Damage."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor, Geography
More about Mark / Email Mark
X: @ProfMarkMaslin
Insta: @profmarkmaslin
Book: How to save our planet
Prof Jacquie McGlade
Expertise
Carbon and Biodiversity Expert
"Unleashing the massive power of healthy soils and ecosystems to store carbon by shifting to regenerative farming practices and nature-based solutions underpinned by accurate data and evidence from the field."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor of Sustainable Development and Resilience
More about Jacquie / Email Jacquie
X: @JacquieMcGlade
LinkedIn: Jacqueline MCGlade
Dr Marina Romanello
Expertise
Climate change and health expert
"I work to put people, their health and wellbeing, at the heart of the climate change conversation. By producing rigorous data and evidence, I work to inform climate change action that protects and maximises the benefits to human health."
More info
Role at UCL: Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown
More about Marina / Email Marina
X: @marinaromanell2
Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Expertise
Climate, Maritime & African Politics
"My research is focused on climate change, conflict and vulnerable populations. I am currently working with African countries on reducing their GHG emissions in the shipping sector, including the co-development of decarbonisation actions, political buy-in for implementation, and capacity development."
More info
Role at UCL: Lecturer, Political Sciences
More about Simon / Email Simon
X: @SimonChinYee
Bluesky: @simonchinyee.bsky.social
Prof Priti Parikh
Expertise
Infrastructure, Climate and Sustainability expert
"Resilient Infrastructure is vital for human development and environmental protection. Billions of people on this planet do not have access to basic infrastructure services. My research targets those communities who bear the double burden of poor infrastructure and who are most vulnerable to climate change."
More info
Role at UCL: Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
More about Priti / Email Priti
X: @pritiparikh73 / @EfidUcl
Prof Nicola Walshe
Expertise
Climate change and environmental sustainability education
"My research supports teachers, schools and policy-makers to equip children and young people with the knowledge, skills and agency they need to thrive in a climate-altered future."
More info
Role at UCL: Executive Director of the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, and Pro-Director Education at the UCL Institute of Education
More about Nicola / Email Nicola
X: @geowalshe
Prof Lisa Vanhala
Expertise
Climate change loss and damage politics and governance; climate change litigation; climate change and human rights
"I'm currently studying the politics of climate change loss and damage across levels of governance. My work seeks to explain the drivers of progress on loss and damage within the United Nations and to explore how national level policy-makers are grappling with and understanding the impacts of climate change."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor, Political Science
More about Lisa / Email Lisa
X: @CCLAD1
Yaroslav Melekh
Expertise
Energy Innovation Economist and Climate Finance
"Our research employs more sensible lenses for assessing the transition, arguing that it is too complex, dynamic and uncertain about the future costs in the long term to apply conventional static neoclassical economics. We advocate for a much broader assessment of possible non-monetary opportunities and types of risks rather than just numeric probabilities, therefore providing a more strategic perception of net-zero pathways and effectively deconstructing the ‘burden-sharing’ myth."
More info
Role at UCL: Research Fellow, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Email Yaroslav
X: @YaroslavMelekh
LinkedIn: Yaroslav Melekh
Prof Catalina Turcu
Expertise
Cities expert
"Addressing climate change in cities remains largely a social and political challenge not a technical fix. My research looks at tensions and synergies between climate change and wider sustainability goals, with current focus on climate adaptation in cities, in relation to: (1) measures and solutions in vulnerable urban communities and ecosystems; (2) implementation roadmaps for local government in cities; and (3) the governance of translocal networks in cities."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor of Sustainable Built Environment, Bartlett School of Planning
More about Catalina / Email Catalina
X: @CatalinaTurcu
LinkedIn: Catalina Turcu
Dr Becca Burns
Expertise
Climate Change and Glaciology (PhD)
"Climate Change is a complex environmental challenge, requiring a multi-faceted response. As the Strategic Co-ordinator for the UCL Environment Domain, I champion our broad interdisciplinary environmental research interests, working alongside colleagues from across UCL to ensure our research transcends disciplinary and organisational boundaries to have real world impact."
More info
Role at UCL: Strategic Co-ordinator: Environment, BEAMS Research Coordination Office, Research, Innovation and Global Engagement
More about Becca / Email Becca
X: @drbeccaburns and @UCLEnvironment
LinkedIn: Becca Burns
Jeremy Williams
Expertise
Net Zero Policy and Evidence Lead
"My work provides governments and policymakers with the evidence they need, including on how to run society-wide conversations on routes and choices for a Net Zero future. Action on climate doesn't just require high-level commitments to reduce emissions. It also needs acceptance from across society of the contentious changes to everyday life which will be required. "
More info
Role at UCL: Senior Research Fellow, International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP)
Email Jeremy
X: @ppouk
Alex Pigot
Expertise
Biodiversity Expert
"Our research uses a combination of theory, modelling and experiments to understand the connections between climate change and biodiversity loss. Through our research we aim to inform policy and guide decision making to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and to safeguard biodiversity. "
More info
Role at UCL: Principal Research Fellow, Genetics, Evolution & Environment
More about Alex / Email Alex
X: @alex_pigot
Susannah Fisher
Expertise
Adaptation and Climate Finance
"My research explores how climate finance supports countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change and the politics of how we define and measure effective adaptation."
More info
Role at UCL: Principal Research Fellow, Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction
More about Susannah / Email Susannah
X: @susannahfisher
Bluesky: @susannahfisher.bsky.social
Jing Meng
Expertise
Climate Change Policies
"My research endeavors to formulate a decarbonization pathway at the infrastructure level, taking into account both technological and economic feasibility."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
More about Jing / Email Jing
X: @JingMengPku
Steve Pye
Expertise
Clean Energy
"I am researching the phase out the fossil fuels under Paris aligned climate goals, for countries such as the UK and at a global level, taking account of equity concerns. At COP28, we need commitments by more countries to fossil fuel phase out."
More info
Role at UCL: Associate Professor, UCL Energy Institute
More about Steve / Email Steve
Twitter: @st_pye
Prof Mariana Mazzucato
Expertise
Economics of Innovation and Public Value
"To mobilise investment on the scale required to deliver a just transition to net zero, states must go beyond market-fixing and de-risking to embrace their role as market shapers. This means shaping financial markets to align with decarbonatization goals and prevent greenwashing, directing public finance towards these goals as investors of first resort (not just lenders of last resort), and designing public-private partnerships and contracts to align with these goals and better share risks and rewards."
More info
More about Mariana / Email Mariana
Twitter: @MazzucatoM
Tristan Smith
Expertise
Decarbonisation of shipping/transport
"We carry out interdisciplinary research, looking across global (UN) and national government and industry communities to understand the least cost policy mix, technology and energy pathways, and commercial developments, that can enable shipping to achieve 1.5-aligned equitable transition."
More info
Role at UCL: Associate Professor in Energy and Transport
More about Tristan / Spotlight on Tristan / Email Tristan
LinkedIn: Tristan Smith
Mikaela Patrick
Expertise
Disability Inclusive Infrastructure, Cities and Climate Change
"Our research is providing evidence on how inclusive design and accessibility can be integrated into the planning and design of climate infrastructure, to ensure disabled people are not left behind in the climate emergency."
More info
Role at UCL: Head of Inclusive Infrastructure and Climate, Global Disability Innovation Hub
More about Mikaela / Email Mikaela
Twitter: @gdihub
Insta: @gdihub
LinkedIn: Mikaela Patrick
Michael Grubb
Expertise
Energy and Climate Change
"The economics of the climate debate have been largely cast in terms of costs of mitigation, required to cut emissions. In Chapter 1 of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Mitigation, we underlined that credible and effective mitigation policy needs to draw on four analytic frameworks: ‘mainstream’ aggregate economics; ethics and equity; innovation and transition dynamics; and psychological and political studies. In my role as Strategy Director for the international programme on Economics of Energy Innovation and Systems Transition, we have worked with research colleagues across the UK and Brazil, India and China to bring new and more positive economic thinking to the fore of climate policy debates."
More info
Role at UCL: Professor of Energy and Climate Change & Deputy Director, UCL - Institute for Sustainable Resources and Strategic
More about Michael / Email Michael
Website: www.profmichaelgrubb.com
X: @michaelgrubb9
Mary McHarg
Expertise
Climate activist
"As the first sabbatical officer to be joining the COP team, I'm looking forward to empowering more students to get involved in climate action of all kinds, and platforming diverse student voices from UCL."
More info
Role at UCL: Union Affairs Officer, Students’ Union UCL
More about Mary / Email Mary
X: @marymcmess
LinkedIn: Mary McHarg
Supporting Team
Michael Lucibella
"I coordinate media and press outreach for the Built Environment and Social & Historical Sciences faculties, which are home to much of UCL’s climate efforts. For COP28, I’m working with UCL’s diverse team of climate experts, both in Dubai and here in the UK, to maximise media coverage."
Elli Lee
"I manage Sustainable UCL’s communications channels and behaviour change campaigns. On the COP28 team, I lead on project management and our communications strategy, including how we connect all the amazing work going on at COP to our audiences across the UCL community, so that COP is accessible to everyone."
Katherine Welch
"I lead on UCL PPs climate-related policy engagement supporting researchers to get their evidence into policy making. I am also policy co-chair for the UK Universities Climate Network which supports collaboration across UK universities. I’m excited to support our COP delegates in working with policy during and after the convention."
Jane Yelloly
"My role on the COP28 Campaign team is to fly the flag of UCL’s climate campaign ‘Generation One’. My aim is to integrate UCL’s pockets of climate activity under this one umbrella. As Aristotle said “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”."
Hannah Biggs
"I oversee UCL’s sustainability programmes related to carbon, biodiversity, education and engagement. I provide strategic input on developing UCL’s Climate Hub."
Email Hannah