To support developing countries’ long-term climate mitigation strategies—plans for reaching ambitious, mid-century greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals—USAID’s Transparency and Long-term Strategies (T-LTS) project will soon start a number of activities. These activities include conducting workshops on regionally important topics in Asia and Latin America, helping countries link long-term strategies to their five-year emissions reduction targets, and extending sectoral planning to 2050 for better sequencing and improved coordination around climate goals.
As countries begin to plan their decarbonization and low-emission development efforts, many have begun to develop long-term strategies (LTS). LTS are a policy tool that offer countries a vision to help them identify development priorities and pathways to help achieve mid-century GHG reduction goals. Once established, a national LTS can inform the development of shorter-term plans, such as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), transforming a vision into implementation.
Ideally, LTS are developed using transparent and participatory methodologies, robust data, and good documentation. Developing LTS with transparency in mind promotes greater trust and ambition internationally, bolsters good governance, and contributes to more stable, predictable investment environments.
LTS development is relatively nascent – as of July 2020, only 16 countries and the European Union have submitted mid-century plans to the UNFCCC. To better understand the current activities and needs related to LTS specific to developing countries, the T-LTS project assessed partner countries and donors work to date on long-term strategies. In July, the project summarized the results of its assessment in a report, which includes:
- Context on how transparency and LTS relate to development objectives and international requirements;
- Descriptions of existing donor activities related to transparency and LTS;
- Examples of models being used for developing LTS;
- Summaries of existing LTS activities for select countries; and
- Highlights of countries and themes where the T-LTS project could provide technical assistance.
The analysis found that several USAID-supported countries are developing LTS or have activities that are well-aligned with long-term planning (e.g., activities derived from the Enhancing Capacity for Low Emissions Development Strategies program). Some USAID Missions have current or planned activities that could be complemented with transparency and LTS technical assistance.
Based on the findings of this analysis, the T-LTS project will conduct a regional workshop in Asia that focuses on transportation planning, and a workshop in the Latin American and Caribbean region that focuses on integrating climate risk in planning efforts. Additional opportunities may include supporting countries in linking NDCs and LTS, extending sectoral planning to 2050 to inform shorter-term activities, facilitating improved institutional arrangements to share information, and conducting GHG and economic projections.
This analysis was developed by Howard Marano, Katie O’Malley, Samantha Tigner, Logan Pfeiffer, and Derina Man.
For more information, download the Transparency and Long-Term Strategies Scoping Analysis Report.
Derina Man
Derina Man is a Senior Managing Consultant at ICF, a global professional services firm that delivers consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, and other areas. Derina provides technical and policy support related to low-emissions development strategies, greenhouse gas accounting and mitigation, and the phase-out of fluorinated gases. She is currently the project manager for the USAID Transparency and Long-Term Strategies project.
