Blog

In 2021, Climatelinks featured a wide array of USAID’s climate-related work through its blogs. The Climatelinks blog acts as a resource for the global Climatelinks community and serves as a storehouse for information in the form of lessons learned, success stories, newsletter recaps, and report summaries. 

• 12/28/2021
• Steve Hardeman

In 2021, the Climatelinks community submitted over 160 resources on topics ranging from climate resilience in WASH and agriculture to environment and energy trends in Latin America and the Caribbean. Other notable documents included the 2020 Amazon Vision Report, an updated SERVIR Service Planning Toolkit, and more than 30 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Annexes on climate change. 

• 12/16/2021
• Stephan Hardeman

Over the course of 2021, the Climatelinks community contributed over 140 blogs on topics from youth climate action to a new wave of private investment for climate solutions. Climatelinks blogs share USAID’s work on climate and development while also offering the global network of climate and development practitioners a platform to share their own work. Blogs highlight the vast range of work achieved by past and ongoing programs and activities and often connect to monthly themes such as climate finance, air pollution, health, youth climate action, and climate and gender. 

• 12/09/2021
• Sophie Schrader

The U.S. Government’s Feed the Future program is making climate change a central objective of their strategy. Global food security is under stress from increasingly intense and frequent heat waves, droughts, heavy rains, and major storms, according to the new report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which issues a dire warning of the risks posed with every incremental increase in global warming. Using Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), Feed the Future helps farmers adapt to climate variations, mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and build resilience to climate shocks.

• 11/30/2021
• Tedi Rabold

After more than three years supporting Southeast Asian agribusiness, forestry and other land use companies to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, USAID Green Invest Asia found this sector often lacks trust to jointly address climate risks – and opportunities – even when they share suppliers.

• 10/14/2021
• Angela Hogg

With agriculture driving deforestation, global climate protection and biodiversity conservation goals seem to collide with the drive to produce more food. Researchers warn of an impending “food security-biodiversity-climate” crisis and “looming land scarcity.”

• 10/12/2021
• Daniel Evans

In August, Climatelinks explored USAID’s climate work that has been featured on other “Links” sites. Cross-sectoral climate action is essential for preparing communities around the world to manage the impacts of climate change and prevent worst-case climate scenarios.

• 10/05/2021
• Sophie Schrader

With the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) portfolio of climate change programs, partnerships, and expertise around the globe, the Agency is positioned to answer the global call to action for the climate crisis. USAID will work across the intersection of climate and development to reduce emissions, sustainably develop economies, increase resilience, and promote adaptation.

• 09/30/2021
• Sashi Jayatileke

USAID has partnered with India to develop projects that support the achievement of these clean energy targets and overall decarbonization of the power sector.

• 09/14/2021
• Kate Minden

On World Water Day, March 22, 2021, USAID announced its second annual Water Warrior Awards, which recognizes the value of its water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) leads who work on the front lines with local partners and communities.

• 09/01/2021
• Portia Persley

In July, Climatelinks explored the important health and climate impacts of air pollution. As the world’s largest environmental health risk, air pollution contributes to approximately 6.7 million premature deaths each year. This is a significant development challenge, as low and middle income countries are at the highest risk for the greatest health burdens from poor air quality.

• 08/24/2021
• Climatelinks

The ENGIE Acquisition: With USAID Support, an Off-Grid Solar Fenix Rises

• 08/11/2021
• Taha Gaya

In the dairy sector, low-emissions development (LED) often utilizes intensification practices that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase yield. However, LED focuses on technical practices and outcomes, seldom considering the subsequent impacts on women’s and men's social distribution of burdens and benefits.

• 08/04/2021
• Sadie Shelton

Air pollution is a major issue in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), where its impacts not only contribute to climate change, but also create major health risks for those living in the region.

• 07/08/2021
• Lindsey Spanner

In South Africa, for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity produced, 1 kilogram (kg) of carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted, 1.4 liters of water are used, and 0.37 grams of particulate emissions - which cause harmful air pollution - are released into the atmosphere.

• 07/06/2021
• Andrew Fang, Stephane de la Rue du Can