Forty-nine of the top 50 countries with the most polluted air are located in the Global South, where economic growth and environmental quality are often treated as competing priorities. Emissions markets are a cost-effective solution, yet access to the tools and expertise needed to build them is often lacking in the places that need them most.
This convening brought together government and regulatory leaders, researchers, philanthropic partners, and international stakeholders to discuss how market-based approaches can help reduce emissions while supporting economic growth in the Global South, and to share emerging insights from EMA’s ongoing engagement with governments and stakeholders across a number of countries.
The discussion focused on the environmental and regulatory challenges governments are seeking to address, the role emissions markets can play across different pollutants and institutional contexts, and the practical requirements for moving from policy interest to implementation — alongside emerging insights from EMA’s ongoing country engagement. The program included a high-level panel discussion on Market-Based Environmental Regulation and the Future of Industrial Emissions Management.
Panel participants included:
- Sean Maguire, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships, Clean Air Fund
- Ms. Reena Gupta, Chair, Punjab Pollution Control Board
- Mathilde Carraro, Director of Portfolio Impact, The Earthshot Prize
- Dr. Ousmane Soulemane, CIAPOL Cote D’Ivoire
- Manoel Tabet Soriano, The Municipal Secretariat for Urban and Economic Development, Rio de Janeiro
- Andrew Light, Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth
Opening and closing remarks were delivered by EMA Director Kaushik Deb and EMA Program Manager Gaurav Saraf.