The first phase of climate risk management entails planning for an assessment of climate risks and opportunities. Planning involves two major steps:
- Review Previously Completed Assessment(s)
- Determine Assessment Approach
Climate Risk Management at the Activity Level
This page introduces the implementation of climate risk management (CRM) for activities. CRM is also implemented for strategies (coming soon) and projects.
Climate Risk Management for Activity Design and Implementation.
This graphic and the eLearning tool emphasize that climate risk management (CRM) is iterative and an integral part of program design and implementation, not a separate process. You may navigate this graphic to jump directly to the specific phases of the CRM process.
This graphic and the eLearning tool emphasize that climate risk management (CRM) is iterative and an integral part of program design and implementation, not a separate process. You may navigate this graphic to jump directly to the specific phases of the CRM process.
Although USAID policy allows flexibility in the application of climate risk management (CRM), the process generally comprises four phases (with several steps within each phase):
The graphic and eLearning tool aim to help USAID staff and partners think about how these phases and steps are integrated into activity planning and implementation. As the graphic shows, the phases are iterative. In addition, the order of the steps within phases is flexible and the overall process may be tailored to each mission’s or operating unit’s situation.
In the explanations below and the eLearning tool we refer to “design team” as shorthand for those responsible for CRM. Although USAID holds primary responsibility, implementing partners play a critical role in managing climate risks as part of activity implementation.
CRM Resources for Activity Design
- Climate Risk Management for USAID Projects and Activities: A Mandatory Reference for ADS Chapter 201
- Previous assessments if available:
- Climate Change annex of corresponding Regional/Country Development Cooperation Strategies (R/CDCS)
- Project-level environmental compliance analysis in Environmental Compliance Database
- Climate Risk Profiles & Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Fact Sheets
- Climate Risk Screening & Management Tool and associated sector-specific annexes
- Climate Risk Management: Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Knowledge Management guide
- Primer: Using Climate Information for Climate Risk Management
- Climate Risk Management in Action (examples of CRM)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- USAID staff may consult internal resources such as the Agency intranet or their mission’s Climate Integration Lead.
Conducting a climate risk assessment consists of three interrelated steps: assessing risks, determining how to address risks, and planning for adaptive management. The assessment also involves consideration of opportunities to enhance results and build climate resilience.
- Assess Risks
- Address Risks
- Plan for Adaptive Management
To realize the benefits of conducting the climate risk assessment and be able to address and adaptively manage risks during implementation, design teams should incorporate assessment results into activity design and implementation. Incorporating assessment results involves these four steps:
- Refine Tasks & Interventions
- Incorporate in Solicitation
- Document in Environmental Compliance Analysis
- Incorporate into Proposal/Application
Climate risk management should be incorporated as appropriate into implementation and monitoring, evaluation and learning to ensure climate risks are addressed and adaptively managed. This phase involves the following three steps:
- Incorporate in Work Plans
- Incorporate in Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plans
- Periodically Assess and Adjust