Elizabeth Franklin-Best is a British environmental scientist, policy adviser, and public educator renowned for her interdisciplinary research on climate resilience and her leadership in shaping national sustainability strategies. Over a career spanning more than three decades, she has held senior positions in academia, government advisory bodies, and international non‑governmental organisations. Her scholarship has contributed to the development of adaptive management frameworks for coastal ecosystems, and she has played a pivotal role in advancing evidence‑based policy interventions to mitigate climate‑related risks. Franklin‑Best is also recognized for her commitment to science communication, having produced a series of widely cited reports and accessible public outreach programmes that bridge the gap between research and community action.
Early life and education
Family background
Elizabeth Margaret Franklin-Best was born on 12 March 1975 in Bristol, England. Her parents, Margaret Franklin, an archivist, and Thomas Best, a civil engineer, nurtured a household that valued both historical inquiry and technical precision. The family environment fostered curiosity about natural phenomena, encouraging her early interest in the interactions between human societies and the environment. Growing up in the Avon River basin, Elizabeth frequently observed the seasonal variations of the river, noting the influence of rainfall patterns on local flora and fauna.
Schooling
Franklin‑Best attended Bristol Grammar School, where she excelled in the sciences and mathematics. She achieved distinction in her Advanced Level examinations, ranking among the top ten students in her cohort. Her formative years were marked by participation in the school's science club, which organized field trips to the Bristol Zoo and the nearby Mendip Hills, exposing her to diverse ecological settings. The school’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning encouraged her to pursue a holistic understanding of environmental systems, blending biology, geology, and social science perspectives.
University studies
In 1993, Franklin‑Best matriculated at the University of Cambridge, enrolling in the Natural Sciences Tripos with a focus on Biological Sciences. Her undergraduate studies combined rigorous coursework in plant ecology, aquatic biology, and ecological modelling. During her third year, she undertook a research project on the effects of nutrient loading on the River Avon, employing field sampling and laboratory analysis to assess algal bloom dynamics. The project received the University’s Gold Medal for outstanding research contribution.
After completing her Bachelor of Arts in 1996, Franklin‑Best pursued a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. Her dissertation, titled “Adaptive Management of Coastal Wetlands under Rising Sea Levels,” investigated the viability of various restoration techniques across the East Anglian coastline. The thesis incorporated long‑term monitoring data, coupled with predictive modelling to evaluate the resilience of wetland ecosystems to projected sea‑level rise scenarios. Her doctoral research earned her the Oxford University Medal for Excellence in Environmental Sciences in 2000.
Professional career
Early career
Following her PhD, Franklin‑Best accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Southampton’s School of Ocean and Earth Sciences. Her research during this period focused on the role of tidal wetlands in carbon sequestration and the mitigation of shoreline erosion. She collaborated with the Marine Conservation Society to design community‑based monitoring programmes that collected citizen science data on tidal marsh health.
In 2004, Franklin‑Best joined the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a Senior Environmental Adviser. In this capacity, she provided technical support to the government’s Coastal Management Programme, advising on the allocation of funding for coastal protection projects across the UK. Her analyses incorporated cost‑benefit assessments of engineering interventions versus ecosystem‑based approaches, influencing policy decisions at both regional and national levels.
Academic positions
Franklin‑Best transitioned to academia in 2008, accepting a lecturer position at Imperial College London’s Department of Earth Science. She advanced to senior lecturer and then to reader by 2013, contributing to the department’s research output through a series of high‑impact publications. Her work during this period examined the socioeconomic implications of climate adaptation strategies, integrating stakeholder analysis with ecological data.
In 2015, she was appointed Professor of Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Edinburgh. Her professorship is marked by interdisciplinary collaboration with the university’s Centre for Geopolitics and International Security, facilitating joint research on the geopolitical ramifications of climate change. Franklin‑Best also established the Edinburgh Climate Resilience Initiative, a multi‑faculty programme that coordinates research, policy development, and public engagement.
Industry leadership
Beyond academia and public service, Franklin‑Best held executive roles in several environmental consulting firms. From 2010 to 2012, she served as Managing Director of GreenWave Consultancy, where she oversaw strategic advisory projects for municipal governments seeking to implement green infrastructure solutions. The firm delivered projects such as the design of green roofs in Manchester and the restoration of urban waterways in Leeds.
In 2018, she was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer of the multinational energy company Horizon Energy. In this role, Franklin‑Best led Horizon’s transition strategy toward low‑carbon operations, integrating renewable energy deployment with carbon capture and storage initiatives. Her leadership contributed to the company’s attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 by 2023, and the firm received the Global Green Award for Corporate Sustainability in 2022.
Major achievements and contributions
Environmental advocacy
Franklin‑Best has been a prominent advocate for ecosystem‑based adaptation (EbA) strategies. She authored the 2011 DEFRA white paper “Ecosystem‑Based Approaches to Coastal Protection,” which outlined best practices for integrating natural capital into infrastructure planning. The paper influenced the development of the UK’s National Coastal Adaptation Strategy and was adopted by the European Commission in 2013 as a reference document for EU coastal resilience initiatives.
Her advocacy extended to public outreach through the “Living Shorelines” educational programme, launched in 2014. The programme provided resources for schools, community groups, and local authorities to implement small‑scale shoreline restoration projects. The initiative gained national media coverage and was cited by the World Bank as a model for community‑driven climate adaptation.
Research and publications
Elizabeth Franklin‑Best has authored or co‑authored over 150 peer‑reviewed articles in journals such as Global Environmental Change, Environmental Science & Technology, and Climate Policy. Her most cited works include:
- Franklin‑Best, E., et al. “Carbon Dynamics of Coastal Wetlands Under Sea‑Level Rise.” Environmental Science & Technology, 2012.
- Franklin‑Best, E., & Thompson, R. “Socioeconomic Impacts of Climate Adaptation Measures.” Global Environmental Change, 2015.
- Franklin‑Best, E. “Integrating Adaptive Management in National Policy Frameworks.” Climate Policy, 2019.
Beyond journal articles, she has authored three influential policy briefs for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), focusing on the role of natural capital in national adaptation plans. These briefs have been cited in the 2020 Paris Agreement negotiations and the subsequent 2023 Global Climate Action Report.
Public service and advisory roles
Franklin‑Best has served on several high‑level advisory panels. From 2012 to 2016, she was a member of the UK Royal Society’s Climate Advisory Committee, contributing to the society’s research agenda on climate resilience. She also chaired the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme for climate adaptation between 2017 and 2020.
In 2021, Franklin‑Best was appointed to the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Climate, where she facilitated dialogues between governments, academia, and industry to align climate finance mechanisms with local adaptation needs. Her role involved reviewing the effectiveness of the Green Climate Fund and proposing reforms to enhance transparency and accountability.
Awards and honours
National recognitions
Franklin‑Best has received numerous national awards:
- 2011 – DEFRA Award for Outstanding Environmental Policy Contribution.
- 2014 – Royal Society Fellowship for Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Environmental Policy.
- 2018 – Order of the British Empire (OBE) for Services to Environmental Science and Public Engagement.
- 2020 – UK Climate Action Award for Leadership in Climate Resilience.
International honours
Internationally, her achievements include:
- 2013 – United Nations Climate Change Award for Innovation in Ecosystem Management.
- 2016 – Global Environmental Leadership Award from the World Wildlife Fund.
- 2019 – Nobel Peace Prize nomination in the category of climate justice (nomination by the International Union for Conservation of Nature).
- 2022 – UNESCO Chair in Climate Adaptation and Resilience.
Personal life
Family
Elizabeth Franklin‑Best married her long‑term partner, Dr. David L. Hart, a marine biologist, in 2000. The couple has two children, both of whom have pursued environmental studies. The family resides in Edinburgh, where they maintain a home that incorporates many of the green technologies and design principles advocated by Franklin‑Best, including rainwater harvesting, solar photovoltaic panels, and a vegetated roof.
Interests and hobbies
Outside her professional commitments, Franklin‑Best is an avid sailor, frequently participating in charitable regattas that raise funds for coastal conservation projects. She is also a skilled photographer, focusing on capturing the aesthetic dimensions of natural landscapes, which she shares through exhibitions and a personal blog. Her literary interests include contemporary environmental literature, and she is a frequent contributor to environmental essays in national newspapers.
Legacy and impact
Influence on policy
Franklin‑Best’s research and advocacy have directly influenced the drafting of several national policies. Her 2011 white paper shaped the UK’s approach to integrating natural capital into infrastructure planning, while her 2019 policy brief on adaptive management guided the European Union’s Climate Adaptation Strategy. Her participation in UNFCCC negotiations helped embed ecosystem‑based approaches into international climate frameworks, advancing the principle of nature‑based solutions as a core component of climate adaptation.
Mentorship and outreach
Throughout her career, Franklin‑Best has mentored over 120 graduate students, many of whom have progressed to leadership roles in academia, government, and the private sector. She established the Franklin‑Best Fellowship Programme in 2016, providing scholarships for early‑career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue interdisciplinary climate studies.
Her outreach efforts, including the Living Shorelines programme and her public lectures, have broadened public understanding of climate resilience. She has been invited to speak at major international conferences, such as the World Climate Congress and the International Conference on Adaptive Management, where she delivered keynote addresses on the intersection of science, policy, and community action.
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