Understanding Climate Finance

My Name is Faheem Noor Ali and I am a Climate Finance Trade Commissioner based out of the Embassy of Canada in Washington DC.In a typical day, I get to meet with, and introduce Canadian project developers to, investment officers at some of the most prominent Development Finance Institutions in Washington DC such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Inter-American Development Bank and the Development Finance Corporation.I also get a chance to interact with a variety of other climate financiers in the private sector, government and everywhere in between.The purpose of this series is to bring the perspectives of the various people are active in climate finance to you.This will keep you informed of new developments and, for our Canadian Trade Commissioner Service clients, get you better prepared to meet some of the people from these various institutions. For those of you not familiar with the Trade Commissioner Service, or TCS for short, we help Canadian companies navigate the complexities of international markets and make better business decisions. The TCS is on the ground in more than 160 cities worldwide. We gain market intelligence, uncover opportunities for Canadian companies and help reduce business costs and risks. The TCS is a free service of the Government of Canada, helping companies to prepare for international markets, assess market potential, find qualified contacts and resolve business problems. Our network of international contacts is unbeatable. As part of Global Affairs Canada and of Canada’s network of embassies, the TCS has access to local governments and key business leaders and decision makers. We can increase the credibility of Canadian companies in global markets by helping them gain access to local contacts not readily available to outside businesses. As the Climate Finance Trade Commissioner for the Americas, my role is to connect clients to opportunities with DC based institutions as well as funders in Latin America and the Caribbean.