Blog

Integrating biodiversity and sustainable landscapes objectives in development programming can increase the sustainability of interventions, amplify results and reduce costs. ‘Integrating Biodiversity and Sustainable Landscapes in USAID Programming’ highlights these and other key considerations for USAID staff and development practitioners interested in connections between biodiversity and sustainable landscapes priorities.

• 04/23/2019
• Catherine Wahlen, Jennifer Kane

This year’s Earth Day theme, Protect Our Species, highlights the roles of all living things and the importance of protecting endangered and threatened species, such as coral reefs, elephants, bees and other insects.

• 04/18/2019
• Isabela Barriga

The integration of biodiversity and climate considerations in development programming can lead to long-term benefits in both sectors. For example, diverse ecosystems recover more quickly from destructive climate events, and healthy coastal environments protect vulnerable communities from extreme weather.

• 04/17/2019
• Tiffany Gibert

The implementation of climate resilient low-emission development (LED) strategies is essential for ensuring the integrity and performance of LED programs and projects in the face of evolving climate impacts.

• 04/11/2019
• Molly Hellmuth, Joanne Potter

A new land cover tool originally developed for southeast Asia is now being expanded globally. “Land cover mapping in the Lower Mekong has been challenging in the past, based primarily on outdated maps using different criteria,” said Dr. David Saah, Professor at the University of San Francisco and Managing Principal of the Spatial Informatics Group (SIG).

• 04/10/2019
• Devrin Weiss, Leah Kucera

Since mid-2014, the USAID-funded Climate Economic Analysis for Development, Investment and Resilience (CEADIR) Activity has provided technical assistance for climate adaptation, clean energy and sustainable landscapes.

• 04/09/2019
• Lorine Giangola, Ph.D, Dr. Eric L. Hyman

Do you work on a project or activity that is increasing climate resilience or reducing carbon emissions while conserving biodiversity? Have you collaborated with colleagues across USAID to design a project or activity that has biodiversity outcomes and tackles development challenges across multiple programming areas?

• 04/04/2019
• Jennifer Kane, Catherine Wahlen

Transparent greenhouse gas emissions accounting is essential for monitoring global progress in the fight against climate change. While many countries are implementing ambitious mitigation actions, measuring and reporting of the greenhouse gas impacts of those actions within national inventories remains a persistent challenge.

• 04/02/2019
• Marian Van Pelt

Gordon Mumbo grew up in the small village of Kamuga, in Kenya’s Kisumu County. Year after year, he watched as frequent floods from one of Kenya’s major rivers, the Nyando, disturbed the peaceful flow of village life.

• 03/28/2019
• Global Waters

“My interest in tree planting started when I was very young, when I used to go with my mum to plant trees in the forest, as part of the shamba system of plantation establishment [a Kenyan form of taungya],” recounts Zipporah Matumbi. 

• 03/26/2019
• CIFOR

Happy World Water Day! This year’s “Water for All” theme highlights the importance of leaving no one behind. It brings to light the fact that billions of people still live without access to safe water.

• 03/21/2019
• Stephan Hardeman

At the February 7 Adaptation Community Meeting, Ashley Moran from the University of Texas at Austin presented the findings from a global USAID study on the intersection of global fragility and climate risks.

• 03/19/2019
• Ashley McIlvain Moran

Since the 1970s, the Sahel region of northern Africa has been experiencing ongoing drought. The ecological, economic and social impacts are far-reaching, and coastal and estuarine ecosystems have
not been spared.

• 03/14/2019
• CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry

In the districts of Mpigi, Rakai and Masaka in central Uganda, once-forested landscapes have been degraded by farming and illegal logging.

• 03/12/2019
• CIFOR

Ecosystems are fundamental to life on earth and provide goods and services that are essential to human well-being. This includes their role in helping human populations mitigate and adapt to climate change.

• 03/08/2019
• Mark Higgins