Climatelinks Photo Gallery

A community member holds two juvenile giant clams on the Red Sea coastline in Port Ghalib, Egypt. These giant clams are part of a USAID-supported clam farm and hatchery that works to repopulate the native giant clam in the Red Sea. Giant clams recycle nutrients into the reef and oxygenate sediment, making giant clams crucial to reef development and restoration; but, due to overfishing, their population rapidly declined. For decades, USAID has worked with local partners to restore marine exploited species like the native giant clam to improve coral reef health in the Red Sea.

The Red Sea coral reef is one of the longest continuous living reefs in the world, and its uniquely resilient corals are crucial to global reef survival as the oceans warm. Conserving the natural ecosystem is essential to combating climate change. USAID has been working with the Government of Egypt and local organizations for decades to ensure the ongoing protection to preserve the Red Sea coastline, including environmental education and awareness, conservation of wildlife reserves, and eco-friendly tourism.

A community member holds two juvenile giant clams on the Red Sea coastline in Port Ghalib, Egypt. These giant clams are part of a USAID-supported clam farm and hatchery that works to repopulate the native giant clam in the Red Sea. Giant clams recycle nutrients into the reef and oxygenate sediment, making giant clams crucial to reef development and restoration; but, due to overfishing, their population rapidly declined. For decades, USAID has worked with local partners to restore marine exploited species like the native giant clam to improve coral reef health in the Red Sea. The Red Sea coral reef is one of the longest continuous living reefs in the world, and its uniquely resilient corals are crucial to global reef survival as the planet’s oceans warm. Conserving the natural ecosystem is essential to combating climate change. USAID has been working with the Government of Egypt and local organizations for decades to ensure the ongoing protection to preserve the Red Sea coastline, including environmental education and awareness, conservation of wildlife reserves, and eco-friendly tourism.

In Lomé, Togo, women sell fish that local fishermen catch in the Zio River, located behind their merchant stand. Due to losses in available groundwater, which are exacerbated by climate change, Lomé is considering using the river as a source of drinking water.

In Togo, climate change is causing shorter, more severe wet seasons and longer, more severe dry seasons. As a consequence, villagers near Tandjouare, Togo are working with representatives from the US State Department and Ministry of Environment to build a dam and reservoir that will be used to collect water so that the land can be irrigated throughout the year. The dirt piles in the back of the picture show where land has already been excavated for the project.

In Ghana, climate change is causing shorter, more severe wet seasons and longer, more severe dry seasons, which makes relying on rainwater increasingly difficult. To build climate resilience in the town of Tinjase, Ghana, USAID and its implementing partner Global Communities have installed solar-powered groundwater pumps that provide water throughout the year to 9,000 - 10,000 people and other community resources, including: one school, one health center, one police station, one customs station, eight standpipes, and 46 direct household connections.

In Togo, climate change is causing shorter, more severe wet seasons and longer, more severe dry seasons. To sustain a constant supply of water for the inhabitants of Mango, Togo, water is pumped from the Oti River and treated in a drinking water treatment plant prior to being distributed throughout the town. At full capacity, the plant can process 1800 cubic meters of water per day. In this photo, an engineer tests the chlorine levels of the treated water for representatives from USAID and the Department of State.

This photo was taken in 2018 at Bohol Island State University - Bilar Campus. The photographer's daughter wanted to plant rice with the group. She demanded to be allowed in the mud even for a short while. From that day on, this kid always makes sure she's counted in when the group go to the paddies.

The Kikori River Delta in Papua New Guinea is a very dynamic environment where wind and wave action build up and break down islands annually. Kikori villages belonging to different tribes are caught in these conditions now exacerbated by climate change. Settled between a flooding river and the raging sea, these villages face destruction every storm season. Young people from different tribes are collaborating to promote environmental education and foster understanding across the Delta. This project began in 2021 and was made possible by the Young Pacific Leaders small grants program, funded by the US Department of State and supported by Cultural Vistas. Youths are moving and rebuilding houses for families whose villages have been relocated, and they are also looking at options for food security. A small project by the Piku Biodiversity Network provides seeds and plants to women, offering security and essential nutrients to families during the storm season. Women collaborate as communities build climate resilience. Seeds have been supplied from greenhouses in villages located miles away in the mountains, demonstrating how villages help one other build climate resilience.

Location: Kikori River Delta, Papua New Guinea

The Kikori River Delta is a very dynamic environment, wind and wave action build up and break down islands every year. Kikori villages belonging to different tribes are caught in this dynamic environment now exacerbated by climate change. Caught between the flooding river and the raging sea, villages face destruction every storm season. In an attempt to foster understanding, young people from different tribes demonstrated collaboration between tribes by conducting activities for environmental education across the Delta in 2021, a project made possible by the Young Pacific Leaders small grants program, funded by the US Department of State, supported by Cultural Vistas. A village is relocating itself; they are moving and rebuilding houses for families and looking at options for food security. A small food security project by the Piku Biodiversity Network is helping women ensure food security and nutrition for their families, with seeds and new plants that can provide essential nutrients for family during the isolation caused by the storm season. Women collaborate as communities build climate resilience. Seeds have been supplied from greenhouses in villages located miles away in the mountains, as villages help other villages build climate resilience.

The Kikori River Delta in Papua New Guinea is a very dynamic environment where wind and wave action build up and break down islands annually. Kikori villages belonging to different tribes are caught in these conditions now exacerbated by climate change. Settled between a flooding river and the raging sea, these villages face destruction every storm season. Young people from different tribes are collaborating to promote environmental education and foster understanding across the Delta. This project began in 2021 and was made possible by the Young Pacific Leaders small grants program, funded by the US Department of State and supported by Cultural Vistas. Youths are moving and rebuilding houses for families whose villages have been relocated, and they are also looking at options for food security. A small project by the Piku Biodiversity Network provides seeds and plants to women, offering security and essential nutrients to families during the storm season. Women collaborate as communities build climate resilience. Seeds have been supplied from greenhouses in villages located miles away in the mountains, demonstrating how villages help one other build climate resilience.

The Kikori River Delta is a very dynamic environment, wind and wave action build up and break down islands every year. Kikori villages belonging to different tribes are caught in this dynamic environment now exacerbated by climate change. Caught between the flooding river and the raging sea, villages face destruction every storm season. In an attempt to foster understanding, young people from different tribes demonstrated collaboration between tribes by conducting activities for environmental education across the Delta in 2021, a project made possible by the Young Pacific Leaders small grants program, funded by the US Department of State, supported by Cultural Vistas. A village is slowly being destroyed and villagers have left houses empty and abandoned as they seek shelter in the safety of the lands inland and on higher ground. Moving from home and onto another's tribal lands. A story retold with many villages of the Gulf of Papua and across the world, as villages fight and lose the battle with rising seas and intensifying storms.

The Kikori River Delta is a very dynamic environment where wind and wave action build up and break down islands annually. Kikori villages belonging to different tribes are caught in these conditions now exacerbated by climate change. Settled between a flooding river and the raging sea, these villages face destruction every storm season. Young people from different tribes are collaborating to promote environmental education and foster understanding across the Delta. This project began in 2021 and was made possible by the Young Pacific Leaders small grants program, funded by the US Department of State and supported by Cultural Vistas. As villages are slowly being destroyed, villagers have left their houses empty and abandoned and sought shelter on higher ground. They are moving from their homes and onto another's tribal lands. This is a story retold with many villages of the Gulf of Papua, and across the world, as villages fight and lose the battle with rising seas and intensifying storms.

This picture depicts an eight-year-old girl planting a tree on her birthday. She might not know about the devastating effects of climate change, but she knows that trees are essential for humanity. She is planting this tree as a reminder of her eighth birthday, hoping it will grow and provide oxygen for all of us, shelter for the birds, shade for the humans, fruits for her, and add greenery to its surrounding. This photo was taken on November 29th, 2021, in Khotang district, Nepal.



What she might not know now is that this simple technique of planting a tree has a vital role in fighting against climate change. Even though this single tree is not enough to fight against the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is enough to make us aware of why we need trees. When more than seven billion people on Earth plant a single tree on their birthdays, it will be enough to fight against the rising 48% carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere. A small act multiplied by billions can change our future. Hope never dies; hope is one of our basic mental needs because it gives us a reason to survive.



Trees contribute to their surrounding by providing oxygen, improving air quality, mitigating climate change, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife. By planting more trees, we can contribute to global reforestation efforts, restore lost forests, repair damaged ecosystems, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Trees provide us with oxygen and store carbon to fight against greenhouse effects. They stabilise the soil and absorb water providing the sources of underground water resources. They give food, shelter and shade to the wildlife. The report shows that ingredients for 25% of all the medicines are possible because of trees. They reflect heat upwards from their leaves cooling down the global warming process. As per the reports, trees can reduce the temperature in a city up to 7℃. Nowadays, places with more trees and greenery are expensive because of their clean and green environment. 

Every single tree plays a vital role in its ecosystem. A single tree contributes to its environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, mitigating climate change, preserving soil and supporting wildlife. A report shows that a single tree can absorb and filter around 1.7 Kilos of dust and pollutants every year. A single tree is the home of hundreds of species of insects, fungi, moss, mammals and plants. 

We all might think that planting a single tree by me is not enough to control the global impacts of climate change. But we forget that a small act multiplied by billions can bring enough change to face climate change. We need to act now because there is no tomorrow for us if we don't act now immediately. By planting more trees, we can contribute to the global reforestation efforts, restoring our lost forests, repairing the damaged ecosystems and mitigating the devastating impacts of climate change.



This picture is taken on 29th November 2021 in Khotang district, Nepal. USAID Nepal has worked with the Government of Nepal, law enforcement agencies, and local communities to protect nearly 6 million hectares of forest and collaboratively manage natural resources in these areas. 

River water is very important for local farmers' livestock, but water levels have lowered due to the growth of water hyacinth. In Ethiopia, this invasive species has infested many water sources, displacing native plants and wildlife and impacting the lives and livelihoods of local communities.