Ashden has showcased Global South climate solutions at London Climate Action Week 2026. From June 23 to 25, we hosted or co-produced a range of events that connected innovators to influential finance and policy audiences.
We were delighted to bring eight partners from Africa, Asia and Latin America to London for this important moment in the global climate calendar. Doing so allowed innovators to explain their impact, build their networks, and learn from each other. And, crucially, it addressed the lack of Global South voices at international climate summits.
The solutions we showcased are sparking access to clean, affordable energy, or delivering nature based climate solutions. London Climate Action Week came just a few days after the 2026 Ashden Awards, and our 2026 champions were at the heart of our LCAW schedule. But we also put the spotlight on our Powering Clean Energy Investment programme – which unlocks finance for locally-led enterprises.
Frontier Markets breakfast roundtable
Our first event showcased Frontier Markets – winner of the 2026 Ashden Award for Outstanding Achievement. The organisation has created one of India’s largest rural social commerce platforms. What started with selling solar lamps has now scaled into a fast-growing, tech-enabled social commerce platform, built for rural India, by rural women.
This roundtable focused on Frontier Markets’ expanding gender-smart parametric climate insurance model, built with Frontier Innovations Foundation, Global Parametrics, Howden, and Humanity Insured.
Spotlighting REAL Programme Catalyst
Our next event highlighted 2026 Ashden Award winner REAL Programme Catalyst. This organisation has engineered a powerful business model that boosts access to solar power for homes in Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Senegal – with the potential for roll-out across Africa and beyond. Instead of buying rooftop solar home systems, clients of the REAL Programme pay monthly for access to them, reducing up-front costs. Strong maintenance and warranties stop systems falling into disrepair. We were delighted to support REAL Programme Catalyst, a driver in energy equity, to talk about their goals and research towards universal energy access for those most vulnerable.
Powering Africa’s Green Economy
Our third event was Powering Africa’s Green Economy, held in partnership with Sustainable Ventures. The discussion centred around productive use of renewable energy (PURE) in the Global South. It convened investors, lenders, guarantee providers, development partners and SME support organisations to explore practical approaches to unlocking scalable and affordable asset finance for the PURE sector. The solutions showcased included participants in our Powering Clean Energy Investment programme.
Forest Protection, Indigenous Leadership, Climate Justice
Our final event was a collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI). Tackling forest protection and Indigenous rights, this event focused on perspectives from the Global South. It showcased Instituto Zag – winner of the 2026 Ashden Award for Tropical Forest Protection.
We also supported Instituto Zag to appear at a range of other events throughout the week. These included two British Film Institute film screenings, an event with WRI at Kew Gardens, and an event hosted by the Brazil Ministry of Culture at the Somerset House. Three of these events are in collaboration with the People’s Palace Project, an arts research centre focused on challenging climate injustice.
