Katherine Maxwell

Dr. Katherine Maxwell is a Research Fellow at the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU) and holds roles as an Associate at WSP, leading their Net Zero Cities team, and Chief Climate Scientist at Kooling, a data-driven startup focused on corporate transport emissions reduction. She was nominated as a COP26 Climate Resilience Fellow by the COP Universities Network and Cambridge Zero, representing GCHU at COP26. Her expertise spans climate policy, urban sustainability, and disaster resilience.

Education: DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development (University of Oxford), MSc and BSc in Environmental Sustainability and Geography (University of Edinburgh).

Research focuses on integrating climate strategies into urban planning, particularly in global cities. She has advised cities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, where she managed climate action plans aligned with the Paris Agreement. Her work includes UN-HABITAT board roles and European Union-funded projects via the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation.

Notable recognition includes her COP26 Fellowship and contributions to the New Climate Economy report while at the London School of Economics. Past roles include Visiting Researcher at UC Chile, consultancy work through 'Urban Transitions', and board positions at GCHU.