Development programs worldwide are designed to protect vulnerable people, places, and livelihoods from climate change, but with smarter methods, these programs could be even more effective.
Earth-observing satellites and geospatial technologies collect valuable information that can shape how developing countries manage climate risks and land use. A joint initiative of USAID and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), SERVIR puts this information in the hands of communities who need it most. With the data and tools provided by SERVIR programs,…
Communities across the globe are coping with the impacts of a changing climate. To help them manage these impacts, USAID and its partners increasingly apply a “climate lens” to activities. A critical input to this is best practices guidance on both the use of climate change adaptation (CCA) strategies and the targeting of resources where…
Governments around the world have recognized the potentially devastating consequences of climate variability and change to economic development, livelihood security, and natural resources conservation. A study conducted in 2017 by the USAID-funded Adaptation Thought Leadership and Assessments (ATLAS) project examining official statements and planning and strategy documents found that fifteen countries and five regional organizations…
Along the Limpopo River, USAID is tackling severe water and sanitation challenges in targeted municipalities and protected areas from the river’s source in South Africa to its mouth at the Indian Ocean on the coast of Mozambique. This success story highlights how the Resilient Waters Program’s support to local municipalities living around the river to…
The experts say it’s possible. We can limit the warming of our planet to 1.5 C if we achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. That’s encouraging until you consider that Asia alone now accounts for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that share is growing. The power sector plays a major role in the climate challenge. For…
Climate adaptation initiatives are increasing at both the international and national level. At the local level, cities are leading the way, committing to ambitious climate adaptation goals through global city networks or groups. Adaptation monitoring and evaluation (and importantly, learning) of activities can help cities move beyond city- and project-level progress reporting. This reference guide…
Risks associated with climate variability and change are increasingly recognized as drivers of both internal migration and displacement. This study contributes to the growing field exploring adaptation responses to climate-related human movement by firstly examining the role of climate variability and change and climate-induced hazards as risk multipliers in the context of human movement. The…
USAID’s Adaptation Thought Leadership and Assessments (ATLAS) activity launched in 2014 to assist the Agency and its partners in refining approaches and promoting best practices in designing and managing climate-resilient program investments. ATLAS conducted user-tailored climate vulnerability assessments, provided thought leadership on emerging climate adaptation issues, and contributed knowledge and capacity-building to USAID, its partners,…
One major activity within the ATLAS (Adaptation, Thought Leadership and Assessments) project was to provide guidance for integrating climate change risk management and adaptation into USAID design and implementation of sectoral and cross-sectoral programming. The purpose of this document is to summarize approaches taken for a set of CCVAs (climate change vulnerability assessments) completed by…