United Kingdom Announces Establishment of Investor Group for Emerging Markets
The UK's Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDE) Investor Taskforce has been launched with a mission to catalyze long-term climate capital flows into developing economies in Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa. The taskforce, announced at the NZI Annual Conference held on October 21, 2025, at the London Stock Exchange, will bring together 15 financial sector institutions.
The taskforce includes prominent members such as Ninety One, Aviva Investors, Phoenix Group, Legal & General, HSBC, Lloyds, Private Infrastructure Development Group, S&P Global Ratings, and the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) which will serve as the taskforce's secretariat. Henrdrik du Toit, founder and chief executive of Ninety One, will co-chair the taskforce.
The EMDE Investor Taskforce aims to address barriers to sustainable investment in these regions and provide guidance and recommendations that can drive private sector capital towards climate and sustainable development goals. The taskforce recognizes the significant financing gap for climate solutions in developing economies, estimated to be $1.8 trillion annually.
Institutional investment in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) has largely focused on public equities and sovereign debt, but a significant increase in private equity, private debt, project finance, and corporate capital is required for a just and effective energy transition. Real risks in the energy transition in emerging markets and developing economies are often overstated compared to historical outcomes, according to Henrdrik du Toit.
The UK government's strategic focus on mobilizing long-term private investment for economic and social outcomes, including climate goals, is reflected in related initiatives. For instance, a Taskforce launched for social factors in UK pensions aims to guide the pensions and investment industry on incorporating ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles. This aligns with the likely remit of the EMDE Investor Taskforce, which would similarly engage pension schemes, asset managers, and investors to channel capital into sustainable projects in emerging markets.
The UK’s broader investor mobilization strategy aimed at inclusivity and sustainability in growth markets is also demonstrated through government-supported capital initiatives focusing on underrepresented fund managers and diverse entrepreneurs. The involvement of UK pensions and asset managers in governance-focused and sustainability-oriented campaigns further shows commitment to long-term, responsible investment approaches that would underpin the EMDE Investor Taskforce’s efforts.
The EMDE Investor Taskforce's goal is to unlock and scale private capital for climate-related investments in emerging and developing economies, leveraging the UK's institutional investment sector's expertise and capacity to support global climate objectives and promote sustainable economic development.
It's worth noting that only 18% of Africa's climate finance is attributable to private sector capital. The EMDE Investor Taskforce aims to bridge this gap by mobilizing long-term climate capital from UK pension funds, asset managers, and other institutional investors into these regions. Asset owners are also part of the initiative, with the Church of England Pensions Board, Nest, and People's Pension having signed up.
Registration for the NZI Annual Conference, where the EMDE Investor Taskforce was announced, is available for those interested in learning more about this collaborative initiative.
The EMDE Investor Taskforce, with Ninety One's Henrdrik du Toit as co-chair, seeks to mobilize long-term climate capital from UK pension funds, asset managers, and other institutional investors, focusing on environmental-science projects that address climate-change in emerging and developing economies. To bridge the existing gap, only 18% of Africa's climate finance comes from private sector capital, the taskforce will provide guidance and recommendations to drive private sector capital towards climate and sustainable development goals in these regions. This aligns with the UK's strategic focus on long-term private investment for economic and social outcomes, including climate goals.
