V20’s Finance Advisor, Sara Jane Ahmed, named recipient of $3 million award for Climate Prosperity Plan for economies facing most climate risks

The two other recipients are Denise Fairchild of the United States and Kathrin Gutmann of Germany.

The Climate Breakthrough Project said the award is specifically for Sara’s formulation of the Climate Prosperity Plan for V20 economies that are most exposed to climate risks:

“Her breakthrough strategy is to catalyze economic transformation through investments in financial and energy planning in the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. She calls this package of policies and financial mechanisms a Climate Prosperity Plan, or CPP. CPPs include plans designed to unlock new investment opportunities in climate-vulnerable countries, in addition to an analysis of how the plans are financed, implemented, and projected to boost growth…. The first Climate Property Plan is being rolled out in Bangladesh, where the government has integrated it in their national strategies. Sara’s goal is, by the end of 2030, to create and implement CPPs for the top 50 most climate vulnerable developing countries —representing an estimated 1,600 million tons of emissions, 1.4 billion people, and US$2.5 trillion in GDP.”

Sara remarked that the award will accelerate the planned implementation of Climate Prosperity Plans across V20 member states:

“The Climate Breakthrough Award will help steer and drive the course of economic development prospects through Climate Prosperity Plans, which establishes climate vulnerable countries in the driver’s seat of catalyzing economic transformation. Our aim is simple: launch a decade of progress aimed ultimately at achieving, by 2030 – not 2050, but this decade – climate prosperity, or the reversal of systemic climate vulnerability towards becoming systemically climate resilient, highly efficient, modern, low carbon economies.”

Sara is the Founder and Executive Director of the Financial Futures Center while serving as the Finance Advisor to the V20 Group of Finance Ministers from 55 climate vulnerable countries. She also developed the Sustainable Insurance Facility and the Accelerated Finance Mechanism for V20.

Sara’s previous roles include advisory positions at the Climate Change Commission in the Philippines, the United Nations Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Resources Institute. She holds a master’s degree in finance from the Simon Graduate School of Business in the University of Rochester and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Knox College. She also sits on the advisory board of the Global Renewables Congress and Climate Smart Ventures.