Emily Clough is a data and policy researcher based in Tyneside, with over 20 years’ experience using evidence to support more just and sustainable environmental change. Her work sits at the intersection of climate research, community resilience, and policy impact, with a particular focus on how data can empower communities to participate meaningfully in climate decision-making.
Emily’s career spans academia, NGOs, and international organisations. Most recently, she led the Data Investigations Team at Global Witness, uncovering environmental harm through geospatial and data-driven investigations. She has also held research roles at Newcastle University and the Ada Lovelace Institute, and worked as a consultant for the United Nations on the Sustainable Development Goals. Across these settings, she has specialised in translating complex evidence into insights that support accountability, governance, and social justice.
She is now focusing on policy-driven research around flooding and local climate adaptation, exploring how communities can use data to better understand risk, prepare for future impacts, and advocate for fairer, preventative responses. Alongside this, Emily is developing ideas for a new initiative to support locally led, data-informed sustainability and resilience projects in the UK.
A core principle of Emily’s work is combining technical rigour with care, integrity, and reciprocity. She is committed to ensuring that data serves the people most affected by climate impacts, rather than reinforcing existing inequalities. This approach is reflected in her current volunteering with Flooded People, where she is helping to develop accessible mapping tools to support community organising and political engagement.
Emily is motivated by a vision of climate action that is joined-up and justice-led, connecting researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and communities to build shared understanding and more climate-resilient futures.