Michael Williamson is a Section Chief of the Energy Division in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Prior to this, he served as the acting Director of ESCAP’s Subregional Office for South and South West Asia, coordinating ESCAP’s work in 10 countries of South and South West Asia. He also served as Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary of ESCAP. He began his UN career in India in 2013 as the Head of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology, a regional institution of ESCAP. Michael’s experience over the last 24 years covers the private sector, government and international organisations with a focus on sustainable development, energy, technology and climate change.

Sonia Dunlop is CEO of the Global Solar Council and has worked in the solar PV industry, renewables policy and climate finance space for almost 15 years. She has previously worked for Solar Power Europe, the European PV association, and Solar Energy UK, as well as being heavily involved in RE-Source Platform. Over the last five years she has been part of the Senior Management Team of climate politics think tank Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G) and worked for the COP26 Glasgow organising team in the UK government. She also spent five years in the European Parliament in Brussels working on renewables and energy infrastructure policy. She has expertise in development finance, renewables policy, digitalisation of energy, Multilateral Development Banks climate finance and corporate Power Purchase Agreements. Sonia speaks fluent English, French and Italian as well as basic Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, has two children and is based in London.

Claudia Lee is an independent journalist and producer whose work focuses on planetary and public health. She has written for publications including the BBC and The Conference Board. She is a University of Hong Kong law graduate and also holds a certificate from the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

• Founder of Climatenza Solar: A company that develops and applies concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology to generate industrial heat directly from the sun.
• Focus on industrial applications of solar: Aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in industries by providing a clean alternative energy source.
• Global reach: Climatenza Solar has offices in India and Chile, and Akshay works with partners in other countries to promote solar thermal technologies. We are already operational in multiple
• countries including India, Chile, Brazil and Morocco.
• Recognition for his work: Awarded as one of the "Forbes 30 Under 30" in 2023 and recipient of other accolades for his achievements in sustainability.

Tim has 30 years financial markets experience, including providing public interest related financial analysis on the energy transition since 2013, studying China, India and Australia.

Tim has founded Climate Energy Finance Australasia at the start of 2022, having co-founded and worked with the global energy finance thinktank IEEFA over 2013-2021. For 17 years Tim was a Managing Director at Citigroup, Head of Australasian Equity Research. Tim has published over 100 reports on the global energy transition.

Kevin Li is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the non-governmental sector, specializing in water, land, climate change, and poverty reduction. He has worked with prominent organizations such as Greenpeace, Oxfam Hong Kong, and International Rivers, and is currently a researcher for CarbonCare InnoLab, a leading Hong Kong-based climate NGO. Kevin is widely respected for his environmental knowledge and ability to propose innovative solutions that effectively address the social and environmental impacts of development. He holds a Master of Arts in Asian Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Hong Kong. Kevin's contributions to the field have earned him numerous accolades, and he is a highly sought-after advisor on social and environmental issues in East and Southeast Asia.

Gerry Arances is a long-term climate and environmental advocate. He has engaged governments, companies, and international and domestic finance institutions concerning the climate crisis and sustainability issues, and has worked with indigenous peoples, communities, and civic movements in tackling human rights and natural resource and minerals management issues. Currently, Arances’s primary work concerns advancing energy transformation, ecological integrity, and people-centered development as Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), and as a convener of the Protect VIP Network, Power for People Coalition, and the Withdraw from Coal, and #WagGas campaigns.

Dr. Md. Shahariar Chowdhury is a distinguished researcher at the Health and Environmental Research Centre, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. He has over five years of experience in photovoltaic (PV) technology, specializing in material synthesis, solar cell fabrication, recycling, and characterization, as well as broader e-waste recycling and material recycling initiatives. Dr. Chowdhury has made significant academic contributions, authoring more than 70 research articles, four book chapters, and an edited volume. He is currently working on an authored book on the topic of solar PV recycling. His research has led to the completion of four major projects focused specifically on PV recycling. Currently, he is leading an international development project aimed at advancing solar PV recycling in the Mekong region, generously funded by the Republic of Korea. Professionally, Dr. Chowdhury has also served as a visiting lecturer at Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia, and held a research fellowship at INTI International University’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. His goal is to combine academic recycling research with industrial applications to promote a sustainable circular economy and contribute to sustainable development goals.

Ringo is the Co-Founder and Director of APAC SEP Ltd., a social innovation company which focuses on supporting social startups. He is also the Co-Founder and Convener of 350HK, the local chapter of the global climate movement 350.org. In 2021, He served as Chief Operating Officer for Carbon Care Asia Ltd till its successful M&A with Deloitte China.

Ringo was awarded the Hong Kong Outstanding Young Person in 1984, and became Chairman of the Outstanding Young Persons Association (TOYPA) in 2009. From 2013 to 2019, Ringo was Chairman of TOYPA TRUST. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Climate & Environment Committee of TOYPA; Hon Treasurer of Golden Age Foundation; Executive Committee Member of the Design Council of Hong Kong; Advisory Member of the VTC Hong Kong Design Institute. Ringo advises to a number of social enterprises such as: Zunosaki Ltd, Food Grace, Community Leap and Urban Spring Ltd

Kylie majored in Political Philosophy and Public Administration Management.

She is an UNFCCC COP Observer and have been the lecturer for CATY (Climate Advocacy Training for Youth) organised by CarbonCare InnoLab, incubating youth in the international climate affairs. Kylie is also involved in the SolarCare Programme of CarbonCare InnoLab, which aims to drive the energy just transition in Hong Kong. Her focus is on facilitating connections between NGOs, officials, and the community to install Solar PV systems and implement climate education programs throughout Hong Kong.

She is a current member of SHE Changes Climate Partners, where she plays a role in contributing to strategic planning aimed at empowering women and developing climate solutions on a global scale.

She has served in the former South Horizon District Councillor's Office. During her time partnering with the District Councillor, she has implemented environmental protection strategic planning. In her climate action endeavours, she prioritises key areas such as women and gender, climate justice, and youth empowerment.

Agustín Ocaña is a dynamic and passionate advocate for sustainability and youth empowerment. With a diverse background spanning bioinformatics research, sustainable agriculture, and global education, Agustín embodies a multifaceted approach to addressing today's pressing challenges.

Originally trained as a biotechnology engineer, Agustín's journey has taken him from the intricacies of bioinformatics research to the rugged terrains of sustainable farming projects. Along the way, he has trekked mountains, immersed himself in indigenous cultures, and delivered speeches at prestigious international events such as COP conferences.

As the founder of the Global Youth Coalition (GYC), Agustín has spearheaded initiatives to empower young people worldwide to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development. Under his leadership, GYC has become a catalyst for innovation and collaboration, bringing together diverse voices and expertise to drive positive change. Recently the Global Youth Climate Training, a collaboration between the Smith School of Enterprise, the School of Geography and the Environment and the Global Youth Coalition, has recently been awarded the. Agustín served as the co-director of the recently awarded program Global Youth Climate Training. This last one got Oxford's Vice-Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability Award.

Beyond his work with GYC, Agustín is recognized for his role as a mentor and educator, guiding the next generation of leaders in harnessing their potential for social and environmental impact. His commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and fostering collaboration underscores his belief in the power of collective action to create a more sustainable and equitable world.

Fun is an environmental policy specialist with a Master's degree in Social Policy. She has gained extensive experience in research and knowledge transfer through her management of diverse research projects and academic activities during her tenure at multiple universities. Her research focus is primarily on climate change policy, particularly energy policy.

Prior to joining CCIL in 2023, Fun graduated from the inaugural Climate Advocacy Training for Youth (CATY) programme. Her strong passion for climate advocacy led to her selection as one of the youth delegates to COP26 as an Observer. Currently, her main focus is on the CATY programme. Through sharing her experience and knowledge, she aims to empower Hong Kong's youth as climate advocates and promote climate justice.

Mark Akrofi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with dual affiliations at Kyoto University and the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Japan. In this role, he actively contributes to the advancement of research on sustainable and just energy transitions. Mark's primary research focus lies in unraveling the intricate governance, policies, and processes involved in sustainable energy transitions. He obtained his Ph.D. in Sustainability Science from the United Nations University in Japan.

Pascal is the Director of Climate & Sustainability, Deloitte. He assists clients in driving sustainability projects spanning across different sectors including the public sector, banking, energy, mobility, waste management, and the buildings sector. Pascal has led various projects focusing on strategic planning, policy development, and research initiatives. His recent focus is on building new business models with the aim to foster growth for sustainable technologies like renewable energies and electric mobility, including by way of public policy interventions as well as on delivering learning programs with the goal to equip executives with the toolsets to tackle climate change and capture opportunities on the path to a low-carbon economy. Pascal holds a PhD in Renewable Energy Management and Master’s Degrees in International Management and Accounting and Finance from the University of St. Gallen and the London School of Economics.

Pascal is also appointed as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology focusing on teaching courses on climate solutions and is a lecturer in other executive education programs and MBA modules focusing on climate change related topics, including business model innovation, renewable energy marketing or the adoption of low-carbon mobility.

Dr. Somabha Bandopadhay teaches at The West Bengal National University for Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata where she also completed her doctoral work. An awardee of the Indo-Canadian Shastri Mitacs Scholarship she pursued research on victimization of transgender persons at the School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Canada. She pursued BA.LLB (International Law Honors) from School of Law, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar and pursued LLM (Human Rights Law) National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. She was awarded the Nani Palkhivala Memorial Gold Medal at NLSIU Bangalore and the Chancellor’s Gold Medal and Nanibala Devi Memorial Gold Medal at KIIT University. She has more than fifteen research publications to her credit including a few in Scopus indexed journals and numerous blog and magazine articles. She has presented extensively at international platforms like the European Society of International Law. Her papers titled “Steering Earth Justice with Principles of Environmental Ethics” and “The Indian Culture of Agricultural Commons” was selected to be presented at 6th International Eco Summit by Elseiver in Gold Coast, Australia in 2021. Her paper “Agricultural Commons: Where Does India Stand?” was selected for presentation at Annual New York State Political Science Conference, Manhattan College, New York in 2020. She regularly undertakes trainings of police officials, judicial officers and advocates in India on transgender sensitisation. She has undertaken several research endeavours and has recently concluded a collaborative project with University of Leicester, UK on Ponzi schemes in Bengal. She also volunteers for the Global Alliance for Rights of Nature (GARN) and facilitates the Asia-Pacific Hub and Youth Hub. As the most recent moot court judging experience, Somabha judged the national and international (US and Nepal) rounds of the Phillip C Jessup Moot Court competition. Apart from her law career, she is a classical Manipuri dance artist and has been awarded two Government of India scholarships.

Bonnie Au is a multimedia journalist based in Hong Kong. Her news coverage largely reflects her strong interest in environmental issues in the region. Her involvement in a documentary Delikado, which looks at illegal tree logging in the Philippines, has swept numerous awards at global film festivals. She produced and co-hosted several podcast series for Sustainable Asia, focusing on issues including marine protected areas in Antarctica, illegal trafficking of pangolins, and plastic pollution. Some of which have received recognition at the SOPA awards.

Matthew Wittenstein is Chief of Section for Energy Connectivity at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). Matthew supports member States in their efforts improve the sustainability and security of their energy systems through increased cross-border power system integration, and by supporting efforts to develop secure and sustainable value chains for critical energy transition minerals.

Prior to joining the UN, Matthew was Senior Electricity Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA). From 2011 to 2014, he was a Fellow at the US Department of Energy. Matthew holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, with a concentration in international economic policy.

May Thida Maung is an Energy Officer at WWF Greater Mekong dedicated to the "Mekong for the Future" Project. With a Master degree in Energy Engineering from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), May brings over 7 years of expertise in the renewable energy sector. Her work focuses on contributing to initiatives for sustainable renewable energy development and climate change mitigation and adaptation in the region.

Dr. Qiang Liu is Co-chair and Secretary-General of Global Forum on Energy Security based at Beijing, China since 2012, Co-Secretary-General of the Energy Transition Think Tank Alliance co-founded by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China National Petroleum Corporation and China University of Petroleum-Beijing in 2023. He is also a consulting expert on energy and Belt & Road Initiative for United Nations Economic and Social Council of Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP). Qiang works for Chinese Academy of Social Sciences since 2004, he has been the Director of Energy Security Studies of Institute of Quantitative & Technological Economics at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) since 2014. He is also Professor and PhD tutor on energy economics at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Qiang was a visiting scholar at the School of Advanced International Studies of John Hopkins University at Washington D.C., focusing on Sino-American economic interaction; and a Visiting Scholar in American University, focused on Energy Security and Asia-Pacific Energy Cooperation. Before joining CASS, Qiang worked for Hebei Swan Chemical Fiber Company for 3 years, and for Beijing Futian Vehicle Company for 5 years.

Qiang holds PhD of economics from the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Mr. Ray leads Tetra Tech’s energy consulting practice for South Asia. He manages a portfolio of energy sector consulting projects and executes Tetra Tech’s Asia-Pacific growth strategy. He also works with Tetra Tech offices around the world on global programs in the areas of energy transition, sector reform, energy access and utility transformation.

Mr. Ray has around 18 years of experience in the areas of sustainable financing of clean energy projects, enhancing governance in power markets and sector institutions, regional cooperation and cross border power trade, and utility operation improvement in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa.

Dr. Mah’s research focuses on social aspects of smart energy transitions, specialising in interdisciplinary research that cuts across the fields of energy technologies, energy governance, and sustainability policy studies, with a geographical focus on East Asia covering empirical cases in China, South Korea, and Japan.

Dr. Mah’s team has been highly active in research. Since 2010, she has been the principal investigator of 29 projects, including five major external grant funded studies (e.g. one Research Impact Fund (HK$3.9m) and one GRF (HK$1.3m)). In 2022, she was named the World’s Top 2% Scientist by Stanford University.

Dr. Alissa Tung is the Programme Director of CarbonCare InnoLab. She has extensive experience in community engagement and corporate engagement in the NGO sector. Alissa received a PhD in Material Science from Monash University, Australia, after graduating from Fashion Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research focus was on developing functional Self-Cleaning Textiles addressing pollution to the environment. She authored more than 10 peer-reviewed papers. Before devoting herself into fighting for climate justice, she was an experienced event planner.

She was the NGO observer of COP24 and COP26, which triggered her aspiration on youth empowerment on climate actions. She initiated the Climate Advocacy Training for Youth (CATY) to train Hong Kong climate youth leaders to voice at international platforms, and SolarCare programmes to bring impact on the solar energy in the fuel mix in Hong Kong. Alissa is committed to boosting youth climate actions and connecting young people to the wider climate networks.

Saumya is the Climate Justice and Youth Coordinator with the Bangkok Regional Hub of UNDP, working on the intersection of climate change and human rights. She has previously worked in the civil society space, focusing on business and human rights, women’s rights and ecological justice.

Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, Chief Economist at Climate Finance Asia and Associate Professor at Tokai University in Japan, brings over a decade of experience in teaching, research, and advisory roles in energy economics, policy, and finance. He has lectured at prestigious universities throughout Japan and across Asia. Recognized as one of the world's top researchers in the green finance field, he was included in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list in 2022 and honored by the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in 2023 with Science and Technology Medal and Commendation. Dr. Taghizadeh-Hesary serves as Editor-In-Chief for the Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management and holds a portfolio boasting over 300 academic joural papers, 22 books, and leadership in numerous research and consulting projects. He earned his PhD in economics from Keio University in Japan.

Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, Chief Economist at Climate Finance Asia and Associate Professor at Tokai University in Japan, brings over a decade of experience in teaching, research, and advisory roles in energy economics, policy, and finance. He has lectured at prestigious universities throughout Japan and across Asia. Recognized as one of the world's top researchers in the green finance field, he was included in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list in 2022 and honored by the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in 2023 with Science and Technology Medal and Commendation. Dr. Taghizadeh-Hesary serves as Editor-In-Chief for the Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management and holds a portfolio boasting over 300 academic joural papers, 22 books, and leadership in numerous research and consulting projects. He earned his PhD in economics from Keio University in Japan.

Kapil Narula works on catalysing international cooperation for ambitious climate action. He has over two decades of versatile work experience in international organisations, government, think tank and universities. He works on clean energy transition, climate change and maritime sustainability. He is the author/editor of seven books and more than 100 articles/papers. He has earlier worked as Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations, Advisor (Energy) at NITI Aayog, lecturer at the University of Geneva and an officer in the Indian Navy. He holds an interdisciplinary PhD degree in economics, master’s degree in engineering and has a professional certification in sustainability and climate risk.

Reshmi is a climate and energy professional with experience in climate mitigation projects and energy policy adoption in Asia. She has led projects on clean energy adoption, corporate decarbonization, fossil fuel phase out strategy and implemented clean energy projects across sectors and communities in Asia. She has worked with diplomatic missions of UK, Germany on bilateral clean energy promotion with India. Reshmi has a Masters in Environment Management and presently at WWF she oversees the delivery of energy transition projects in Asia and fossil fuel phase out strategy in the region.

Mr Chong Chan Yau is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of CarbonCare InnoLab and a member of the Board of Director of Climate Finance Asia. Mr Chong is a graduate from the University of Hong Kong. He obtained a Master's degree in Information Systems from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He served in the Hong Kong Government as an Administrative Officer. He also served as an Executive Director of Oxfam Hong Kong and a member of the Board of Directors of Oxfam International. He then joined the University of Hong Kong as the Director of Student Development for its Centre for Development and Resources for Students. Mr Chong is active in promoting civil society in Hong Kong. He has been the President of the Hong Kong Blind Union, and a member of the Education and Publicity Subcommittee of the Council for Sustainable Development, which is an advisory committee to the Hong Kong SAR Government on sustainability issues.

Mr Chong has received the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in 1991 and the MBE honour in 1995 for his outstanding service to the Hong Kong community. In 2012, Mr Chong has been awarded one of the "Leaders of 2011" by the Sing Tao Publishing Co Ltd and the HKU Honorary Fellowship by the University of Hong Kong.

Ute Collier is Deputy Director of the Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre at the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi. She is responsible for IRENA’s work on policy, markets and finance for the energy transition.

This covers policies and finance for scaling up end-use decarbonisation, green hydrogen, sustainable bioenergy, renewables in the power sector, as well as energy access. She also co-leads IRENA’s annual flagship publication, the World Energy Transitions Outlook. Prior to joining IRENA in May 2021, she was Head of Energy at Practical Action, leading the development organisation’s work on renewable energy solutions in energy access settings.

Previously, she worked at the International Energy Agency and the UK’s Climate Change Committee, as well as a number of public sector and non-governmental organisations earlier in her career.

Vijay Jagannathan is a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute since his retirement from the World Bank. In this capacity he is advising the institute’s work in developing its sustainable cities agenda, net zero strategies as well as its water program. He is concurrently Secretary General of CITYNET, a network of cities, civil society representatives, training institutions in the Asia Pacific region, interested in peer learning, knowledge sharing and promoting sustainable urban development in the Asian continent. He also teaches a graduate level course on the “World’s Water” at the George Washington University. He was a member of the expert advisory panel that collaborated with the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design develop a policy report on the relevance of “Good City Models for Ecological Civilizations” for the Chinese Government. In addition, he is consulting with international/ regional organizations, such as the World Bank, Green Climate Fund, and the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture on water, climate and environmental issues. Vijay was a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) launched by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon in August 2012. He has been a lead consultant advising the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group on its various evaluations of Bank performance relating to infrastructure and economic policies for the past eight years. He is currently a member of a Panel of Eminent Persons advising the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres on how to implement Zero Waste strategies.

For the past twenty plus years Mr. Eric Roeder have been of service to the United Nations including addressing dust and sand storm mitigation with UNCCD, advancing energy efficiency and cleaner production in industry with the co-benefit of reduced greenhouse gas emissions with UNEP, sustainable and smart agricultural development with UNESCAP in Beijing, resilient rural infrastructure in Sekong Province of Lao PDR with the ILO, and working with the private sector to advance inclusive and sustainable development including the development and delivery of projects without initial funding to advance the private sector's role in disaster and climate risks. For example, he initiated and delivered an ongoing programme titled Maritime Sector Strategies to Augment Tsunami Monitoring where companies have pledged their infrastructure to host monitoring equipment for tsunami. It is envisioned that these strategies extend their reach throughout South-East Asia and the Pacific. Eric has also served as the UNESCAP Network Coordinator on Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, working to advance PPP as a sustainable development mechanism in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. This work enhanced knowledge to better the bankability of projects in this area and to access private financing. Eric is now an ILO as a Technical Specialist on Green Jobs, Climate Action and Resilience through Just Transition - Asia Pacific Region --working with constituents in various sectors on greening, building climate resilience and transitioning away from polluting and resource intensive business processes to cleaner, resilient and more cost effective ones.

Graduate from University of Wisconsin - Madison, Mr Ken Tai is an experienced Solar System Engineer. He was responsible for projects include Drainage Service Department, Lo Wu Correctional Institution, and Government's 1st model project which was awarded the 2013 Greenest School on Earth recognition.

Ken has been diligently overseeing the installation of the Solar PV system for the SolarCare Programme. By far, he has successfully managed the solar PV operation for an impressive total of 32 sites.

Axell Sutton grew up in an oil city, home to one of the largest and most polluting refineries in Latin America. He is an energy engineer who offers solutions through consultations to promote sustainable energy action. He is a co-founder of multiple initiatives for the training and dissemination of youth sustainable energy projects. He is the author of “A Guide for Young People on Sustainable Energy,” an educational tool to act against climate change created with the support of UNICEF, IRENA, and the SDG7 Youth Constituency. A promoter of sustainable energy transition for more than 10 years, he has impacted over 20,000 young energy leaders from Latin America during his career. He currently represents Latin America in his role as Youth Energy Ambassador in the Sustainable Energy for All (Seforall) and TED Countdown programs.

Hendrik is responsible for the Group’s sustainability-related strategy, reporting and communications. He supports the senior management in sustainability and climate change-related risk management and advises on sustainability matters of the Group’s power business in the Asia-Pacific region.

With more than 20 years of experience in sustainability and environmental management across the public, private and NGO sectors, Hendrik previously led research and consulting projects in Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Hendrik currently sits on a number of committees on sustainability-related matters, including as Director of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), Steering Committee member of the Climate Governance Institute Hong Kong Chapter, and an advisory panel member for the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA), amongst others.