Green Investment Mobilization for Asia Discussed at High-Level Meeting in London

London, United Kingdom — The inaugural meeting of the High-Level Empowered Board on Green Transition, established under the auspices of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), was convened at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Among the participants was Dr. Yerlik Karazhan, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Asian Climate Fund (CACF), who was appointed as a member of the Board. During the meeting, Dr. Karazhan presented perspectives on advancing green finance and climate investment across Central Asia.

The Observer Research Foundation is one of India’s leading independent policy research institutions and is internationally recognized for its work on geopolitics, economic development, energy, cybersecurity, and global governance. ORF collaborates closely with governments, multilateral institutions, and leading think tanks worldwide, while also contributing policy recommendations to the G20 process.

The High-Level Empowered Board has been established to strengthen international cooperation on climate finance and to advance discussions on institutional reforms within international financial institutions and multilateral development banks. A central objective of the Board is to identify practical pathways for scaling up green investment flows to developing and emerging economies, particularly across the Global South.

The Board is chaired by Mr. N. K. Singh, Co-Chair of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks, President of the Institute of Economic Growth, and former Chairman of India’s Fifteenth Finance Commission.

Members of the Board are appointed for two-year terms. The inaugural membership brings together distinguished economists, policymakers, and climate experts from around the world. Among them is Professor Nicholas Stern, author of the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, widely regarded as one of the most influential assessments of the economic implications of climate change.

Dr. Karazhan is currently the sole representative from Central Asia serving on the Board. His participation provides an important opportunity to ensure that regional perspectives and priorities are reflected in ongoing discussions on the future of the global climate finance architecture and pathways toward a just and inclusive green transition.

In his intervention, Dr. Karazhan highlighted key challenges facing Central Asian countries in accessing climate finance and underscored the importance of expanding investment mechanisms that can support sustainable economic development, climate resilience, and decarbonization efforts across the region.

The establishment of the Board marks an important step toward fostering broader international dialogue on climate finance reform and strengthening cooperation between developed and developing economies in support of global climate objectives.