Powering Progress: Building Scalable Energy Infrastructure in Emerging Markets
The global energy transition will not succeed unless it includes emerging markets. These regions are home to the world’s fastest-growing populations and economies, yet often remain underserved by the capital, infrastructure, and policy frameworks needed to unlock clean, reliable energy. At the 1EnergyWorld | Global Energy Conference, Lisa Sachs, Director of the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), delivers a compelling perspective on what it takes to scale energy infrastructure where it matters most.
Energy Development as a Development Strategy
In her session, “Scaling Energy Infrastructure in Emerging Markets,” Sachs reframes energy development as a cornerstone of broader national development strategies. The build-out of power systems is not simply about megawatts—it’s about livelihoods, industrialization, public health, and national competitiveness. Sachs argues that energy infrastructure must be treated as a long-term public good, not a short-term investment vehicle.
Through her leadership at CCSI—a joint center of the Columbia Climate School and Columbia Law School—Sachs has helped shape a policy agenda that integrates energy infrastructure into national strategies for inclusive growth. Her work emphasizes the alignment of infrastructure development with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, offering a roadmap for governments seeking to deliver on both climate and economic priorities.
Mobilizing Capital with Integrity
One of the greatest barriers to scaling energy in emerging markets is not technology or ambition—it’s capital. Sachs addresses this head-on by outlining practical mechanisms to unlock long-term investment that aligns with national development plans. Her approach centers on creating transparent, stable, and accountable regulatory environments that attract investment while protecting public interests.
She emphasizes the need for new forms of blended finance, risk-sharing mechanisms, and restructured legal frameworks to de-risk energy projects and make them bankable. But just as important is how capital is deployed. Sachs cautions against extractive financing models that prioritize financial returns over social outcomes, and instead promotes policies that ensure investments advance equity, resilience, and access.
Balancing Private Investment with Public Good
Sachs brings deep expertise in investment law, policy design, and governance, enabling her to bridge the often conflicting priorities of investors and governments. Her work shows how to balance these interests through better contracting, regulatory coherence, and policy alignment. At the heart of her message is a call for investment frameworks that are not just enabling, but empowering.
She highlights successful cases where governments have structured energy projects to deliver value beyond electricity—**supporting local job creation, strengthening institutions, and embedding accountability in project delivery**. Sachs challenges policymakers to reject short-term fixes and pursue energy solutions that build capacity and trust at every level of society.
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A Blueprint for Energy Equity
Lisa Sachs’ session is a masterclass in strategic thinking at the intersection of infrastructure, law, and sustainable development. Her insights offer energy leaders a practical yet principled blueprint for advancing infrastructure in regions too often sidelined in global investment flows.
Sachs does not speak in generalities—she delivers specifics: legal tools, financing strategies, and policy pathways that turn intent into impact. She advocates for collaboration across sectors and borders, ensuring that the energy transition is not just clean, but inclusive.
Leadership That Connects Capital to Purpose
What distinguishes Sachs is her ability to connect financial mechanisms to human outcomes, bridging high-level policy with on-the-ground realities. In doing so, she reminds global energy leaders that how we build is just as important as what we build.
At a time when emerging markets are central to the world’s energy and climate future, Sachs delivers a powerful message: sustainable infrastructure is not a luxury—it is a necessity. And achieving it will require vision, coordination, and courageous leadership.
Her contribution to 1EnergyWorld 2025 underscores the urgency and possibility of a global energy system that serves all. In Sachs’s words and work, the foundation for that future is already being built.
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