Africa boasts almost 20% of the world’s population and a plethora of natural resources, and yet possesses the lowest carbon footprint of any permanently inhabited continent on Earth. Carlijn Nouwen, a financier and public servant with an engineering background, believes that Africa could be an example to a warming world, achieving a net-negative carbon footprint while creating a thriving middle class. Having spent almost 10 years with Dalberg Advisors in Africa, Nouwen knows how to build communities through investment, securing funds for dozens of private- and public-sector projects. In 2021, she cofounded Climate Action Plan—Africa, which helps fund eco-friendly businesses on the continent, and tests the viability of different green initiatives. The organization focuses on renewable energy, workforce development, and natural resource distribution.
This year, Nouwen’s organization contributed to the Villars Framework for a Sustainable Trade System, a proposal from the World Trade Organization that wants to make global commerce more sustainable, inclusive, and transparent. The report came out in September, and discusses how African economies can grow while still maintaining the continent’s vital biodiversity. Over the next few years, Nouwen hopes to help Africa realize its potential as both a leader in climate mitigation, and an economic powerhouse.
