The government’s presence in Colombia’s Amazon is limited because of the region’s geographical remoteness and because illegal groups have historically occupied the Amazon, driving and contributing to illicit economic activities. Land grabbing, intensive cattle ranching, illegal mining, and unsustainable agriculture have proliferated in the region. As a result, deforestation has increased, native vegetation and biodiversity…
News: Chemonics International and EPRI Collaborate to Drive Clean Energy Innovation Around the World
Chemonics International and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have entered a formal agreement bringing together decades of international development expertise and technical know-how to advance technology solutions underpinning the clean energy transition. Under this agreement, the organizations will begin work immediately on the recently awarded USAID Sri Lanka Energy Program. This program will support…
In this three-part series, Chris Perine, Chemonics’ director of corporate environmental sustainability, answers questions about how the global development community can adapt to effectively address the climate crisis. His recommendations include areas for further climate research, more thoughtful and human-centered use of data, and new approaches to development programming. 1) What type of research…
From 2016 to 2021, the Build Indonesia to Take Care of Nature for Sustainability (BIJAK) project supported enhanced conservation and management of Indonesia’s marine and terrestrial biodiversity, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and fostered sustainable landscapes and natural resource management. To accomplish this, BIJAK worked primarily at the national level to improve the management of forests…
Nepal is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. And as global warming continues, Nepal’s vulnerability accelerates, too. New local authorities often lack the financial management skills necessary to effectively manage green infrastructure projects. With better capacity to manage climate funds, Nepal will position itself to manage weather-related risks and spur investment in its green growth. The…
Matthew S. Mendis is a clean energy, environment, and finance expert with more than 35 years of experience in more than 45 developing countries. Initially, Matthew spent 10 years of his career at the World Bank, including pioneering innovative financing mechanisms for small-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives. Subsequently, he founded and grew Alternative…
We’d like you to meet Brian App! Brian is a natural resource management specialist with nearly 20 years of experience working in the environmental sector. From flipping through the pages of National Geographic to building more water-secure communities in Africa, he shares some of the highlights of his development journey. Brian is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere.…
We’d like you to meet Alejandro “Alex” Arrivillaga! Alex is a biologist and the deputy chief of party for the USAID Guatemala Biodiversity Project. He shares some of the insight he’s gained over the course of his 25-year career working with communities to develop shared solutions for biodiversity conservation. Alex is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1.…
It appears the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are wobbling along fitfully, and the general consensus among attendees at this year’s annual World Bank Land and Poverty Conference seemed to be that we’re not on track to meet our goals related to land and property rights. This year’s conference offered a smorgasbord of lessons learned, applied…
Alejandro Arrivillaga is a biologist with more than 25 years of experience with complex, multi-country biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management projects, in government and non-governmental settings. Alejandro has a proven scientific record and experience with strategic planning and all aspects of resource assessment and monitoring. His work has required teamwork development, leadership and networking,…
Carlos Morales has over 20 years of experience implementing USAID and other donor funded projects in Latin America. He worked for over than ten years in the Guatemalan food industry, developing an exhaustive understanding of the vegetables value chain and strong relationships with producers, suppliers, and international customers. Carlos worked with the World Wildlife Fund…
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.