Brendan Curran

Brendan Curran serves as a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), specializing in sustainable finance policy with emphasis on just transition and place-based climate investment. Previously, he held policy roles within the UK Government including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Inclusive Economy Unit, with a secondment at the Green Finance Institute, and spent five years at Lloyds Bank.

Education:

• BSc in Economics and Politics, University of Bristol
• MSc in Economics, University of Amsterdam

Curran's research centers on harnessing private finance for equitable climate transitions, public finance interventions for net zero, sustainable financial regulation, and place-based investment strategies. He advocates for policy frameworks that ensure climate action protects vulnerable communities while driving economic opportunity, with particular focus on integrating social considerations into financial systems and corporate transition plans. His work bridges academic research, policy formulation, and private sector engagement to catalyze practical climate finance solutions.

Analysis of his 2022-2024 publications reveals consistent focus on translating just transition theory into actionable policy, with significant contributions to place-based climate networks, green bond mechanisms, and corporate transition frameworks. Key thematic threads include financial system reform for climate justice, mobilization of debt markets for equitable transitions, and community-centered climate investment models that address regional inequalities.

Curran actively contributes to major collaborative initiatives including the ESRC-funded Place-based Climate Action Network (PCAN) and the Just Transition Finance Lab. His work involves extensive engagement with government bodies, financial institutions, and international organizations to develop implementable climate finance solutions. Current projects emphasize practical tools for embedding social equity into transition planning and scaling place-based climate action through public-private partnerships.