A woman holds her baby while standing watch over a recently-burned section of Kirisia Forest, to be used for Charcoal Collection
Many in Maralal, Kenya are driven to environmentally-destructive livelihoods like charcoal harvesting. | Credit: Ami Vitale

Linking Land and Climate: Resources from LandLinks and Climatelinks

By LandLinks

Protecting natural ecosystems, empowering Indigenous Peoples, and supporting effective land governance systems are necessary to achieve climate resilience. COP28 is fostering progress on these topics through today’s theme: Nature, Land Use, and Oceans.

USAID is leading the way on land issues by strengthening resource tenure governance and property rights to support sustainable livelihoods and protect the environment. Effective land and resource governance can encourage restoration and stewardship of land, resources, and ecosystems, which can help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Secure land tenure can also encourage individuals and communities to adopt practices that promote greater adaptation and resilience to climate change. 

Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) own or manage more than a quarter of the world's lands and are stewards of much of the earth’s biological diversity. Their systems of traditional knowledge can make significant contributions to global health, agriculture, and food security outcomes as well as help the world respond to the challenges of global climate adaptation. USAID is committed to partnering with IPLCs to protect and secure their tenure and to enable them to lead on climate action, as highlighted in USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy and in USAID’s Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. USAID also recognizes the importance of promoting equitable and inclusive systems of land governance so women and vulnerable populations have a clear path toward secure land rights.

Given that USAID’s climate change programming is inextricably linked to the need for clear and secure land and resource governance systems, LandLinks and Climatelinks are highlighting some resources that explore the issue in depth. Here are some climate-related resources on LandLinks that can help land and resource governance practitioners understand how their work intersects with climate change programming.

It’s Earth Day—Here’s Why Securing Land Rights Matters for Our Planet 

This blog discusses the Mapping Approaches to Secure Tenure (MAST) Learning Platform, an innovative, evidence-based, and context-appropriate tool for addressing land-related challenges within the context of climate change.

What Better Looks Like: Breaking the Critical Minerals Resource Curse 

Sustainably sourcing the green energy minerals crucial for green technologies presents both challenges and opportunities. This expert discussion explores what better looks like when it comes to mining, processing, recycling, and consuming critical minerals. 

Incorporating Land and Resource Governance into Climate Change Programming 

This brief covers the importance of land and resource governance in achieving positive human well-being and environmental outcomes, including mitigating the impacts of climate change and achieving sustainable economic growth. 

Women, Deeds, and Dirt: Confront the Climate Crisis, Uproot Gender Inequality 

This podcast episode examines the connection between gender-sensitive land rights reforms and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Gender and Climate Change: The Intersection of Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Farming 

A USAID and PepsiCo partnership aims to empower women in the potato supply chain, improve yields and profitability, and promote the adoption of sustainable and regenerative farming practices that can help mitigate climate change.


LandLinks is the knowledge portal for USAID’s Land and Resource Governance Division. It serves as the primary host for resources related to strengthening land tenure and property rights. To learn more about USAID’s work in support of land tenure, visit LandLinks.

Sectors
Land
Strategic Objective
Adaptation, Mitigation, Integration
Topics
Adaptation, Agriculture, Climate Change Integration, Climate/Environmental Justice, Climate Strategy, Inclusive Development, Gender and Social Inclusion, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, Land Use, Land Tenure, Locally-Led Development, Nature-based Solutions, Natural Climate Solutions, Natural Resource Management, Private Sector Engagement
Region
Global

LandLinks

USAID's knowledge sharing platform focused on land tenure and property rights.

Related Resources

View All Resources about
Document

Climate Strategy Webinar Series

Screenshot of the landing page of the Climatelinks Climate Risk Management Portal.
Website

Climate Risk Management Portal

More on the Blog

To address the area’s climate risks, USAID’s Resilient Waters Program conducted a Livelihoods-focused Climate Risk Assessment to inform and stress test the KAZA TFCA’s Livelihood Diversification Strategy.
Group of women in Zimbabwe conducting gulley reclamation
Climatelinks’ resource library curates and archives technical guidance and knowledge related to USAID’s work at the intersection of climate and development. Climatelinks published more than 100 resources in 2024. Here are a few you may have missed.
A woman measures the quality of water in a micro-basin that supplies water to a nearby community. This effort ensures safe water supply amidst climate change impacts.
Here's a recap of the November ‘COP29’ theme. You won’t want to miss this short list of top resources and blogs from the month.
Father and son_Community led mangrove protection and rehabilitation