Anna Beswick

Anna is a Policy Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute at LSE working on climate adaptation and resilience.
She leads LSE’s policy input to the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (2025–2027), funded by the Z Zurich Foundation. The Alliance is a multi-sectoral partnership, focused on enhancing resilience to climate hazards across 15 countries. Anna is a member of the Alliance Leadership Team and co-leads the Alliance Adaptation Governance Theme with Mercy Corps and Concern Worldwide.
Anna is also co-director of the NERC-funded £1.9 million ATTENUATE project, and contributes to the MRC-funded £7.4 million HEARTH Hub, and Horizon 2020 €6,2 million HealthRiskADAPT project.
Background
Prior to joining the Grantham Research Institute, Anna was Head of Climate Leadership at sustainability charity Verture where she advised governments, major organisations and cross sector partnerships on climate adaptation and resilience. She led the Scottish Government’s Adaptation Scotland programme and developed place-based climate adaptation and resilience work in Ireland through the TalX project. Anna also pioneered private sector support and engagement and developed innovative Small and Medium Sized Enterprise climate resilience projects in the city of Glasgow.
Research interests
- Climate adaptation governance
- Climate adaptation and development
- Climate adaptation finance
- Locally led climate adaptation
- Mediation and conflict resolution
Research
Research - 2025
This article assesses the importance of easy access to climate risk information and adaptation scenarios to strengthening the adaptive capacity of the UK. Read more

Policy
Policy - 2025
This report focuses on the exploration of existing low-emission cooling solutions to extreme heat through the review of international and UK evidence, with a particular focus on London but with 14 international case studies. Read more

Event note from the inaugural ‘Adeline Talks’ workshop which brought together experts to discuss the establishment of a National Heat Risk Commission for the UK. Read more

Summary of a workshop held in October 2024 that explored how to co-develop a strategy for adopting climate-resilient net zero responses to extreme heat through education and awareness-raising in Greater London. Read more

Policy - 2024
This report presents a review of existing heat metrics, provides detailed analysis of heat risk for seven building architypes and shares the stories of residents, workers and visitors in the London Borough of Islington who are affected by heat risk. Read more

A short guide to support the design of work that analyses policies at different scales and uses insights to inform influencing work, originally created for Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance country teams but with wider applicability. Read more

This report presents insights on heat resilience policy and practice in the UK to inform future preparedness and responses to extreme heat, incorporating the experiences and views of decision-makers and practitioners who worked on the frontline of the 2022 heatwaves across England. Read more

News
News - 2025
This commentary explains the rationale for creating a metric to measure overheating risk in buildings and key findings from work conducted in the London Borough of Islington by the Institute with Shade the UK. Read more

News - 2024
Successive UK governments have failed to grasp the urgent need to adapt to the risks posed by a changing climate. This commentary sets out what needs to change and how this can be facilitated by next June’s Spending Review. Read more

Anna Beswick explains the need for brave, bold leadership on flooding that goes beyond responding reactively once crisis events happen and commits to ambitious action to enhance climate resilience. Read more

The Heat Health Alert system plays an important role in ensuring the UK responds appropriately to heat risk during summer. The nation should now adopt a forward-looking approach to ensure it is fully prepared for further heat events. Read more

Holyrood, 22 April 2024 Read more
