Eric Usher brings over twenty years of experience in the low carbon sectors, spanning commercialisation of technology in Canada, an entrepreneurial venture in Morocco, and financial sector development across emerging markets. In his previous role as Head of UNEP’s Energy Branch Finance Unit his focus was on structuring public-private instruments for financing climate infrastructure. An example is the Seed Capital Assistance Facility, a joint venture with the Asian and African Development Banks that works via private equity funds to mobilize seed investment for early stage clean energy ventures. During 2011 Eric was seconded to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn to support development of the Green Climate Fund. Specifically this work had him leading a team of specialists advising on establishment of the fund’s Private Sector Facility. During 2014 Eric worked closely with UNEP FI in supporting the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in New York and specifically the launch of the Portfolio Decarbonisation Coalition.
Eric is co-editor of the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment report published annually by Frankfurt School UNEP Centre and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is co-author of various studies examining the role of public and private finance in climate mitigation and was lead author for finance of the IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources.
Before joining UNEP, Eric was General Manager of a solar rural electrification company based in Morocco. He holds an MBA from INSEAD, France, and a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University, Canada.
