USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030

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. The effects of climate change are not equal – they disproportionately impact the poorest and most marginalized communities USAID works to support every day. Climate change affects virtually everything that USAID does and threatens the development progress it has supported over more than 60 years.

Climate change increases water and food scarcity, displacement, and the need for humanitarian assistance, as well as contributes to conflict and disrupts economic stability. Yet at the same time, USAID’s response presents an opportunity to improve livelihoods. Decarbonizing economies means less air pollution that negatively affects health. Building climate-resilient infrastructure means people are safer when disaster strikes and reduces the need for costly repairs after every storm. Investing in green jobs presents an opportunity to make workforces more equitable and inclusive.

That is why USAID has developed a new Climate Strategy that will guide its work through 2030. This new Strategy takes a “whole-of-Agency” approach that calls on all corners of USAID to play a part in the response. USAID will work on the ground with partner governments and local actors to set the global trajectory toward a vision of a resilient, prosperous, and equitable world with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Addressing the climate crisis requires a holistic approach to development. Every USAID sector and Mission has a role to play in transforming global systems like agriculture, energy, governance, infrastructure, and health. This Strategy includes six ambitious high-level Targets that reflect how a whole-of-Agency approach can increase USAID’s impact. USAID will update these 2030 Targets and supplement them with interim Targets throughout the Strategy’s lifetime.

USAID’s Climate Strategy is built on several foundational principles, which will be incorporated into all planning and activities: Locally-led Development, Equity and Inclusion, Private Sector Engagement, Nature-based Solutions, and Evidence, Technology, and Innovation.

To support Agency-wide learning, USAID will develop and regularly update robust guidance for tracking progress as this Strategy is implemented. The Strategy also includes requirements and recommendations for all USAID Operating Units to facilitate implementation. In order to reduce inefficiencies and improve coherence across all programming, much of this implementation guidance will build on existing processes such as budget planning, workforce recruitment, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning that are routine features of the USAID Program Cycle. There will also be staff dedicated to the capacity building, knowledge management, and communications needs of a whole-of-Agency approach to climate change.

To meet the Objectives of this Strategy, all sectors, programs, and activities, as applicable, will need to increase ambition in developing climate-related objectives and reporting on climate change results towards delivering on Strategy Targets. New and improved reporting methodologies and procedures and increased capacity in monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning are essential to support expanded climate action across the Agency and track progress towards Strategy Objectives and Targets.

• Visit the Climate Hub on Climatelinks to learn more about USAID’s new Climate Strategy
• Strategic Objective 1: Targeted Direct Action - Accelerate and scale targeted climate actions.
• Strategic Objective 2: Systems Change - Catalyze transformative shifts to net-zero and climate-resilient pathways.
• Special Objective 3: Do Our Part - Strengthen operations and approaches to programming to address climate change and further climate justice within USAID and our partner organizations.