USAID Climate Strategy 2022–2030

Advancing Equitable and Ambitious Actions to Confront the Climate Crisis

Strategy –

USAID’s 2022–2030 Climate Strategy guides our whole-of-Agency approach to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, help partner countries build resilience to climate change, and improve our operations.

Climate change is a global crisis. As temperatures and sea levels rise, people around the world are increasingly seeing heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones, and wildfires upend their lives. Climate change disproportionately impacts people living in poverty and who are marginalized. It also affects virtually everything that USAID does and threatens the development progress we have supported for more than 60 years.

A Comprehensive Strategy

This decade will be decisive for the future of our planet. That is why USAID has developed a new Climate Strategy that will guide our humanitarian and development work through 2030 in a way that is truly different: by calling on all corners of USAID to play a part in our whole-of-Agency response.

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USAID Climate Strategy 2022–2030

Six Ambitious Targets

We have developed six high-level, ambitious targets for achievement by 2030 to hold ourselves accountable and demonstrate how a whole-of-agency approach can dramatically increase our impact.

Mitigation

6 Billion tCO2e

Partner with countries to support activities that reduce, avoid, or sequester six billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This cumulative amount is roughly equal to total U.S. domestic emissions for one year or the equivalent of removing more than 1 billion gasoline powered cars from the road for one year.

Natural and Managed Ecosystems

100 Million Hectares

Support the conservation, restoration, or management of 100 million hectares with a climate mitigation benefit. That’s an area more than twice the size of California.

Adaptation

500 Million People

Enable the improved climate resilience of 500 million people. Through this work, we will be co-leading implementation of the whole-of-government President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE) initiative.

Finance

$150 Billion

Mobilize $150 billion in public and private finance for climate

Country Support

80 Countries

Align our development portfolios with countries’ climate change mitigation and adaptation commitments in at least 80 countries by 2024, and will support our partners to achieve systemic changes toward meeting those commitments in at least 40 countries.

Critical Populations

40 Countries

Support our partners to achieve systemic changes that increase meaningful participation and active leadership in climate action of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, and other marginalized and/or underrepresented groups in at least 40 partner countries.

Principles

This Strategy is built on several foundational principles, which will be incorporated into all planning and activities.

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Icon: Locally Led Development

Locally Led Development

Support sustainable and equitable climate actions that are locally led, owned, and implemented, and tailored and context appropriate.

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Icon: Equity and Inclusion

Equity and Inclusion

Center actions in the context of the diverse communities in which we work, and engage local, marginalized, and underrepresented groups as critical agents of change.

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Icon: Private Sector Engagement

Private-Sector Engagement

Partner with the private sector to expand the scale, impact, and sustainability of our programs.

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Icon: Nature-based Solutions

Nature-Based Solutions

Elevate nature-based solutions as key tools to absorb carbon, reduce disaster risk, support livelihoods, and improve food and water security.

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Icon: Evidence and Innovation

Evidence and Innovation

Support the rigorous research, technology and development needed to identify and deploy effective climate solutions, including those locally known and developed.

A Participatory Process

USAID’s Climate Strategy was developed through a highly participatory process throughout 2021 and into 2022. We held more than 40 listening sessions with key stakeholders prior to drafting and we received over 2,800 comments on the draft we released for public consultation in November 2021. We have carefully reviewed, considered, and incorporated all of this feedback into the Strategy.

Learn More

Climate Change

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USAID plays a vital role in mitigating climate change and addressing its impacts by working with partner countries to implement ambitious emissions reduction measures, protect critical ecosystems, transition to renewable energy, build resilience against the impacts of climate change, and promote the flow of capital toward climate-positive investments.

A female Nigerian solar technician inspects a photovoltaic array in a rural community

USAID Climate Strategy: Year One Review

REVIEW – Over the past year, USAID has increased its climate investments and is working to tackle the climate crisis in more countries than ever. The Agency will continue building on this foundation throughout this decisive decade for climate action.

A Vietnamese woman holds a sapling in cupped hands prior to planting

USAID Climate Strategy: April 2023 Progress Update Fact Sheet

FACT SHEET – In the first year of USAID’s Climate Strategy (2022–2030), the Agency has advanced its implementation through direct actions and new initiatives to tackle the climate crisis.

A solar technician cleans photovoltaic panels while the sun sets in the background

USAID Climate Strategy: Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ – USAID’s Climate Strategy will transform our ongoing humanitarian and development work to advance equitable and ambitious actions to confront the climate crisis. Explore more about our “whole-of-Agency” approach through our frequently asked questions.

People planting mangroves on a shoreline

USAID Climate Strategy: Fact Sheet

FACT SHEET – Our Climate Strategy is guided by a single, overarching goal: to advance equitable and ambitious actions to confront the climate crisis. This resource highlights key components of the USAID Climate Strategy 2022–2030.

USAID Press Release

USAID Commemorates Earth Day with Launch of New Climate Strategy

Nearly 60 years ago, at President John F. Kennedy’s landmark address at American University just months after the Cuban Missile Crisis, he spoke about the need for the world to recognize our shared humanity. “Our most basic common link,” he said, “is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. And we are all mortal.” Those words, from the person who founded USAID, ring especially true the week of Earth Day.

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