To strengthen Mozambique’s ability to build resilience to climate change challenges, especially in vulnerable coastal communities, USAID launched the $19.9 million Coastal City Adaptation Project (CCAP) in 2013. Over a five-year period, CCAP worked with municipal governments to increase understanding of urban adaptation issues and increase the application of management options for urban adaptation, particularly…
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Philippines Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (B+WISER) Program was implemented in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conserve biodiversity and reduce forest degradation, together with actions to support low emissions development and disaster risk reduction.
Getting the global economy on track to reap a demographic dividend, create prosperity, protect the planet, and eliminate extreme poverty will be difficult unless governments, international donors, businesses, and practitioners work together to harness the economic aspirations of youth. A recent study by the International Labour Organization shows that 13.6 percent of youth, or more…
The United Nations estimates that 68 percent of the world’s population will be concentrated in urban centers by 2050. While water and sanitation access and delivery are generally higher in urban areas, cities still face significant challenges managing, operating, and expanding critical infrastructure, as well as ensuring the financial and environmental sustainability of municipal water…
Intractable development challenges demand solutions that shift norms, change behaviors, and amplify the voices of those who have the most at stake. Social and behavior change communication (SBCC) make these solutions possible. At the 2018 International SBCC Summit — Shifting Norms, Changing Behavior, Amplifying Voice: What Works? — global practitioners convene to explore what works…
Chris Perine is an environmental management specialist with over 25 years of international experience working on climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental impact assessment, urban environmental infrastructure development and natural resources management. He is currently the Managing Director for Chemonics’ Climate Group where he leads a team focused on delivering climate services, implementing Chemonics’ global…
Brian App is an international natural resource management specialist with over 20 years of experience working in the climate and environmental sectors. Brian currently serves as a Senior Climate Services Director in Chemonics’ Climate Group where he helps identify and better understand climate risks and opportunities to improve climate integration into programs and proposals across…
Kule Chitepo, formerly the chief of party on a transboundary cooperation for resilience-building project in Southern Africa, is a leading expert in the development of world-class policy and practice for transformative integrated natural resource management. With over 20 years of experience in East and Southern Africa, he has held strategic leadership positions that have built…
In 2011, the Jordanian government committed to a wide range of decentralization reforms so citizens could become more directly involved in the plans and programs of their local governments. Decentralizing government operations also empowered municipalities and other local government bodies to provide for and respond to Jordanian citizens. The USAID Jordan Cities Implementing Transparent, Innovative,…
More people live in cities now than at any point in history. As identified in Sustainable Development Goal 11 and highlighted in the New Urban Agenda formulated out of the Habitat III Conference last year, our challenge is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Goal 11 and the New Urban…
At the foundation of every city are the physical systems that deliver water and power, dispose of solid waste and sewage, transport people and commodities, and transmit communications. Delivery of these basic infrastructure services to exponentially growing populations is a massive technological, financial, and governance challenge in cities of the developing world. However, the lack…
Before COP 21 kicked off in Paris, heads of state from 20 countries who make up the Climate Vulnerable Forum adopted the Manila-Paris Declaration, which outlined concerns, priorities and plans for addressing climate change. The declaration enumerated how the threats we see in the news everyday — rising sea levels, cyclones, drought, and others —…