Mpho is a Climate Finance Researcher with eight years of experience in public policy analysis, climate and nature finance and programme management, with a strong focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, income inequality and poverty reduction in African and other developing country contexts. He has supported governments, cities and financial institutions to design and finance climate resilient investments, including national climate strategies and National Adaptation Plans, and has managed development projects on climate resilient irrigation for smallholder farmers and multistakeholder natural resource management processes that link rural communities to climate finance opportunities. During his time at CDP he focused on strategies to support climate disclosure that could attract investment for corporate clients and on opportunities for greater interoperability across disclosure platforms.

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At UrbanEmerge Mpho works across a range of areas including climate and nature finance, just transitions and digital innovation. His work includes climate and nature finance training and advisory support for Mediterranean municipalities through MedCities, helping city officials understand institutions, financial instruments and products that can support urban climate and nature projects. He contributes to research for the EU Digital for Development Knowledge Hub on climate and spatial data for resilient water management and agriculture in Central Asia and on digital agriculture for sustainable food value chains and smallholder farmers in low and middle income countries, with a focus on Central Asia and Africa. He has also played a role in a landscaping study for GSMA Mobile for Development on digital innovation in blue economy sectors in low and middle income countries, examining opportunities in carbon markets for coastal ecosystems, waste and water management and fisheries and aquaculture.​

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Prior to joining UrbanEmerge he worked as an Economic Diplomacy Officer, Climate Attaché and Project Manager with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Namibia, supporting national climate strategy and National Adaptation Plan processes, blue economy strategy development, climate resilient agriculture infrastructure and human wildlife conflict projects along the Okavango Delta. He has also worked as a consultant with the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) on labour, disaster risk management and natural resource governance, contributing to national strategies, policy analysis and capacity building. Mpho holds a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, psychology and Spanish from the University of Pretoria and an MSc in Sustainable Finance and Fintech from Skema Business School in France, and is a Certified Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Analyst accredited by EFFAS.