Dr Nick Simpson is a Senior Research Fellow in the Climate and Sustainability team at ODI. His research focuses on how we can best respond to climate change with special interest in climate-resilient development pathways for Africa. He is currently working on Just Energy Transition Partnerships, and the intersections of climate change with education, heritage, cities, health and security research theme at ODI.

Nick is an IPCC author and has published over 50 peer reviewed articles since 2018, including the first continental-scale studies on climate change literacy rates, climate risk to heritage, climate change research finance, and the first adaptation feasibility assessment for Africa.

He is an Affiliate of the African Academy of Science, has recently been awarded the highest possible researcher rating by the South African National Research Foundation, and has been nominated to the UNFCCC Roster of Experts. Nick received the 2022 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity for his work with the IPCC, and the 2023 Webby Award and the 2023 Dutch Design Award for his work on climate induced migration and displacement in Africa.

Nick serves on multiple scientific advisory boards, as well as an associate journal editor at the Q1 journal Climate Risk Management, and as a member of the World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP) Working Group on Loss and Damage.

Nick holds a PhD, an MPhil in Society, Environment and Sustainability, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education all from the University of Cape Town with which he maintains an Honorary Research Associate position.