David Uzsoki works as a Senior Advisor, Sustainable Finance in IISD’s Economic Law and Policy Program. He applies his financial industry experience to demonstrate that sustainability can indeed improve the financial performance of investments.
His recent projects include the development of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool and its application to a wide range of projects globally. Within the context of SAVi, David is responsible for modelling the financial impact of the environmental and social externalities and climate risks associated with the projects under review.
David leads IISD’s engagement with investors and other financial stakeholders on demonstrating the business case for sustainable investments. He covers a wide range of topics in sustainable finance, including environmental, social and governance impact investment reporting; green bonds; blended finance solutions; de-risking instruments; digital finance; and the role of blockchain technology in financing high-impact projects.
David is a well-established finance professional. Prior to joining IISD, he spent several years working with Morgan Stanley in wealth management. As a client advisor, he provided advisory, execution and custody services to family offices, high net worth individuals and asset managers.
David holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in international finance. He is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
All Publications
- Sustainability-linked Bonds: A new way to finance COVID-19 stimulus
Blog - July 22, 2020
Sustainability-linked bonds can play a vital role for investors seeking to allocate capital toward COVID-19-related relief or recovery measures. - Sustainable Asset Valuation of the Kalivaç and Poçem Hydropower Projects
Report - July 10, 2020
The SAVi results suggest that the hydropower assets cannot be considered a preferable solution to generate electricity for the Albanian people as they cause higher costs to communities, the environment and the state than they generate benefits. - An Application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Methodology: Assessing the economic value of restoring the wetlands of S'Ena Arrubia and Corru S'Ittiri-Marceddì-San Giovanni in the Gulf of Oristano in Sardinia, Italy
Report - June 15, 2020
This assessment uses the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) to calculate the economic and societal value generated by the S’Ena Arrubia and Corru S’Ittiri-Marceddì-San Giovanni wetlands in the Gulf of Oristano in Sardinia, Italy. - Financing COVID-19 Stimulus: Will high levels of public debt come back to haunt us?
Blog - May 27, 2020
The majority of COVID-related stimulus financing comes from government borrowing. Can this debt be paid back? Is it even meant to be? - Impact Tokens: A blockchain-based solution for impact investing
Report - April 19, 2019
Impact tokens and blockchain technology offer promising solutions to mobilizing investments toward the Sustainable Development Goals by addressing the underlying challenges of the impact investing industry. - Sustainable Investing: Shaping the future of finance
Report - February 10, 2020
A report on how sustainable investing will become mainstream in the financial industry. - Modelling for Sustainable Development: New decisions for a new age
Book - July 8, 2019
This book provides a detailed overview of models used in designing projects and policies that integrate sustainable development considerations and objectives. - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of the Bus Rapid Transit Project in Senegal
Report - May 31, 2019
This report discusses the results of the SAVi analysis on the Bus Rapid Transit project in Dakar (Senegal). - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Assessment of the N'Diaye Wind Farm in Senegal
Report - May 31, 2019
This SAVi analysis on the N'Diaye wind farm project in Senegal demonstrates that, compared to other energy technologies (coal and high-fuel oils), the wind project brings the most benefits to the Senegalese economy and environment. - How Can Blockchain Improve Sustainability in Mining?
Blog - April 26, 2019
Companies interested in sustainability and transparency are starting to use blockchain to trace materials back to their sources. - Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of the Contournement de Rabat (Morocco)
Report - March 21, 2019
IISD has carried out an economic and financial assessment of different risk scenarios of the contournement de Rabat, the bypass road in Morocco. The assessment included the valuation of different externalities related to the road project. - Tokenization of Infrastructure: A blockchain-based solution to financing sustainable infrastructure
Discussion Paper - January 18, 2019
This report presents how tokenization can address some of the fundamental challenges of financing sustainable infrastructure projects. - Why Financing Rural Infrastructure Is Crucial to Achieving Food Security
Blog - January 9, 2019
Financing infrastructure, including roads, storage and localized energy grids, will help provide food security for the millions of people living in hunger worldwide. - The Sustainable Asset Valuation of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor in Tanzania (SAGCOT) Initiative: A focus on irrigation
Report - December 27, 2018
This report discusses the results of the application of the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool to irrigation infrastructure in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor in Tanzania. - Financing Rural Infrastructure: Priorities and pathways for ending hunger
Report - December 26, 2018
Read our report to discover how new financial instruments can support a decentralized and robust infrastructure base for farmers, food processors and rural communities. - Financing Rural Infrastructure: Priorities and pathways for ending hunger: Investment in Agriculture Policy Brief #7
Policy Brief - December 26, 2018
Read our policy brief to discover how financing infrastructure will help provide food security for the 821 million people estimated to live in hunger worldwide. - Applying the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) Tool to the 9.5 GW Offshore Wind Farm, North Sea, The Netherlands
Brochure - December 20, 2018
Applied to the 9.5 GW offshore wind farm in the North Sea, the SAVi tool compares the financial attractiveness of the wind farm with other energy technologies under four different scenarios. - Credit Enhancement for Sustainable Infrastructure
Report - October 2, 2018
The paper identifies the demand and supply-side barriers for upscaling credit enhancement solutions for sustainable infrastructure projects. - Financing Soil Remediation: Exploring the use of financing instruments to blend public and private capital
Report - September 4, 2018
A collection of 17 case studies on a variety of financing instruments that blend public and private capital that could be used to finance the remediation of contaminated soil. - Infrastructure Banks: Solutions and best practices
Discussion Paper - February 11, 2018
This discussion paper features infrastructure bank best practices and recommendations for countries exploring similar models to support their infrastructure pipelines. - Biodiversity and Infrastructure: A better nexus?
Policy Brief - November 13, 2017
In this brief, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provide initial policy guidance for parties to consider prior to COP 14 in Egypt on how biodiversity mainstreaming can be reconciled with the infrastructure sector. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Water infrastructure
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for water infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Roads
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for road infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Energy infrastructure
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for energy infrastructure. - Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool: Buildings
Data brief - September 26, 2017
Technical background document for the Sustainable Asset Valuation Tool of IISD (SAVi) for buildings. - Financing Infrastructure – How can multilateral development banks avoid crowding out institutional investors?
Blog - April 5, 2017
David Uzsoki takes a look at the role multilateral development banks should play in financing infrastructure. - The Role of Public Procurement in Deploying Sustainable Infrastructure
Discussion Paper - December 12, 2016
This report discusses how to maximise value-for-money when procuring sustainable infrastructure. - Ideas and Solutions to Address the USD 50 Trillion Infrastructure Deficit: A contribution to the 2015 G-20 Summit, Antalya, Turkey
Paper - November 14, 2015
The opportunity costs of not addressing the global infrastructure deficit are too high.According to Brodhead, Darling, and Mullin (2014), for every... - How Green Public Procurement Contributes to Sustainable Development in China
Paper - October 26, 2015
Building on the results of the IISD Green Public Procurement (GPP) Model, consultations with stakeholders and an extensive literature review, this paper provides targeted recommendations addressing the development areas identified to improve GPP in China. - Currency Risk in Project Finance
Paper - September 11, 2015
In developing countries, international financing institutions (IFIs) often help finance key infrastructure projects, predominantly through hard currency loans. - Green Bonds in Public-Private Partnerships
Paper - May 5, 2015
This paper proposes green project bonds as an alternative way to finance “green” PPPs by engaging capital markets.For procurers to effectively... - Public Procurement Contracts as an Effective Risk Management Strategy for Securitization (poster)
Brochure - January 2, 2015
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