John Firth Email & Phone Number

John has 30 years’ experience in assessing the impacts of climate change, overlapping with 28 years in the water industry (Severn Trent Water 1976-2004). He was the co-founder and CEO of Acclimatise (2004-2020) acquired by Willis Towers Watson (WTW) in 2020. From 2020-2023 he was a Senior Director at WTW. John is passionate about the need to transition from fossil fuels, to adapt to a changing climate and build resilience to the systemic risks we face. He has spoken extensively at conferences around the world and engaged with Presidents, Prime Ministers, CEOs, business leaders, scientists, administrators and activists translating science into knowledge. During his time at Acclimatise, the company worked on nearly 500 projects, of which just over 100 involved John either as a team member or project director. He has a particular interest in the impacts of climate change on the business and financial services sectors (risks and opportunities); and has been actively engaged on work related to the ‘Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures’ (TCFD). He has worked extensively on country National Adaptation Plans (25 countries) developing the linkages between non-state actors, government and politicians to create shared agendas for policy reform and action. His interests include cross-boundary and cross-sector impacts, WASH, legal liability, nature-based solutions, disclosure of information to investors, the mobilisation of private-sector finance, climate funding in developing countries, loss and damage, and the integration of adaptation/resilience into national policy making. He has an interest in the value of earth observation data to adapt and build resilience and was invited by the US Govt to support its contribution to the GEO XIV Plenary in Washington DC in 2017.His earlier professional years were spent in strategic planning in flood management, drought management, water resource management, public water supply and treatment, public sewerage and treatment and contributing to Severn Trent Water’s AMP submissions to OFWAT. Involved in many advisory groups including the EU Taxonomy working group, the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, the Climate Bonds Initiative, Group on Earth Observations, founder member and Chair of the Netherlands Government’s Global Centre of Excellence on Climate Adaptation Implementation Group (which became the Global Center on Adaptation). He holds the position of Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool, Department of Covil and Environmental Engineering.

Listed skills include Climate Change, Sustainability, Sustainable Development, Energy, and 40 others.