Key Impact Points:
- Champion of Climate Finance: Asia Salazar is mobilizing capital towards a $27B climate investment, focusing on low-income and disadvantaged communities.
- Diverse Expertise: Her work spans industrial decarbonization, clean industrial hubs, community lending, and more.
- Academic Foundation: With a strong background in environmental policy and science from Purdue University, Asia is a rising star in climate-aligned finance.
“I am working every day to become a leader of climate action and elicit positive impact and change.” This mission statement from Asia Salazar encapsulates her dedication and drive as a RAY Clean Energy fellow at RMI’s Center for Climate-Aligned Finance.
At RMI, Asia supports the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund initiative, a groundbreaking project aimed at preparing the market for a substantial $27 billion climate investment. This initiative is particularly focused on assisting low-income and disadvantaged communities, ensuring that the transition to net-zero is both inclusive and equitable.
Asia’s journey into climate finance is rooted in her academic pursuit of environmental policy. “I studied environmental policy to understand how policy can be used as a tool to solve the complex problems climate change and the energy transition create. Now, I have entered the world of climate finance to broaden my scope of resources that can be leveraged to solve these issues.” Her background in policy provides her with a unique perspective, allowing her to bridge the gap between environmental science and financial solutions.
Change the World - Subscribe Now
Her work at RMI is characterized by its breadth and impact. Asia has contributed to multiple teams and sectors within the organization, including industrial decarbonization, clean industrial hubs, community lending, client engagement strategies, corporate target-setting, and environmental and financial justice. This diverse experience equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the climate finance sector.
Before her tenure at RMI, Asia was immersed in academic research at Purdue University, where she earned her B.S. in Natural Resource and Environmental Science Policy and Analysis. Her research experience spans several labs, including the USDA-ARS Crop Production and Pest Control lab, the Water Quality Field Station, and the Natural Resource Social Science lab. During this period, she engaged in field sampling, DNA analysis, and qualitative surveying of agricultural networks, providing her with a solid scientific foundation.
Complex problems are not a deterrent for Asia; in fact, they are a source of motivation. “Complex problems excite me,” she asserts, highlighting her enthusiasm for tackling the intricate issues posed by climate change. This passion drives her ongoing efforts to mobilize capital and resources towards sustainable and impactful solutions.
Asia Salazar’s work is a testament to her commitment to climate action and her potential as a future leader in the field. Her ability to navigate and integrate diverse aspects of environmental policy and finance positions her as a formidable force in the fight against climate change.
Related Article: Rising Star Sarah Reice Champions Regenerative Cotton at Anthropologie
