WASHINGTON, D.C. (KAAB TV) – USAID unveiled its first annual progress review on the Agency’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy in a statement released on Wednesday.
In the inaugural year of implementing the Strategy, USAID has significantly increased its climate-related investments, launched innovative initiatives, and expanded its efforts to address the global climate crisis across more countries than ever before.
Administrator Samantha Power introduced the Strategy in April 2022, outlining USAID’s comprehensive approach to reducing worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, aiding partner countries in building resilience against climate change through the implementation of the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), and enhancing the Agency’s operations.
During Fiscal Year 2022, USAID successfully preserved over 60 million hectares of carbon-rich lands, including tropical forests, encompassing an area larger than California. The Agency mobilized more than $340 million in public and private financing to support countries in adapting to climate change, a critical contribution considering the existing shortfall in climate adaptation investments globally.
Additionally, USAID collaborated with nations to provide clean power to millions of people while simultaneously reducing emissions, employing measures such as competitive renewable energy auctions and enhanced energy efficiency initiatives.
USAID says it has also advanced climate-positive development practices throughout its operations, recognizing the profound impact of the climate crisis on all aspects of sustainable development. For instance, the Agency provided 250,000 farmers in Bangladesh with access to real-time and location-specific weather advisories, resulting in an average savings of $467 for farmers by avoiding losses caused by climate-related disasters—a crucial financial buffer in a country where the average annual income is less than $3,000. Furthermore, USAID launched and funded several new initiatives that promote gender-equitable climate action, including the establishment of the USAID Climate Gender Equity Fund.
The Agency has taken significant strides toward making its own operations more environmentally sustainable. On June 20, the General Services Administration announced its commitment to fully electrify and install heat pumps at USAID’s headquarters using funds allocated through the Inflation Reduction Act, thereby transforming the building into a net-zero emissions facility.
These achievements build upon USAID’s broader endeavors to foster responsible stewardship of environmental and natural resources. Earlier this month, USAID revealed that its Save Our Seas Initiative successfully prevented the equivalent of 6.5 billion plastic bottles from polluting the oceans in 2022.
While acknowledging that much work lies ahead, USAID recognizes the need for increased investment and ambition to address the scale of the climate crisis. The Agency remains committed to building upon this foundation throughout the critical decade for climate action.