In convening the first ever Africa Climate Summit on September 4-6, Kenya’s President William Ruto sought to frame an African position in preparation for the upcoming U.N. Climate Summit, COP28, to be held in Dubai starting November 30. The resulting Nairobi Declaration endorses a series of proposals to reform the way multilateral development banks operate…
Nearly 1 billion people around the world currently experience water scarcity and the number may rise to 2.4 billion people by 2050. Lack of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services can expose people to preventable health risks, trigger or exacerbate conflict, perpetuate inequality, and hinder participation in society. Why is “safe” access important?…
In the face of rapid urbanization and ongoing political unrest, Ethiopia’s secondary cities face significant challenges in meeting citizens’ needs while contending with overstretched resources, especially for essential WASH services. Ensuring that strong and reliable WASH services are available to everyone is paramount, especially within vulnerable communities. In addition, water and sanitation services must adapt…
The transition to energy systems powered principally by renewable sources requires a fundamental shift in the production, distribution, and consumption of energy, while protecting the welfare of workers and communities whose livelihoods have depended on conventional energy systems (the just transition). This must be achieved in the context of a changing climate, the impacts of…
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report (AR6), issued in March 2023 features a stark message: the decisions that we make right now will have profound implications for the future. In the energy sector, such decisions must focus on incentives for reducing fossil fuels and development agencies, such as USAID, are…
Matt Arnold has 13 years of experience working in energy and climate change, including at energy independent power producers and development organizations. Matt has served core roles on USAID and UNDP-funded projects and has led program development in Latin America and the Caribbean, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia, and has expertise working on renewable…
As we mobilise capital flows to deliver a net zero future, a just transition means ensuring the benefits are shared widely and embedded successfully, with no one left behind. Financial institutions and governments have been ramping up their commitments to a just transition, but many need to better understand the rationale, implications, and applications of…
Successful governance systems demonstrate inclusive, people-centered administration that is transparent and accountable. This two-day interactive forum featured representatives from local governments, leading local and international organizations and thought leaders, USAID, and implementing partner programs discussing how to improve governance systems across different development sectors and the role of locally led development. Locally Led Development in…
Meet Chemonics’ Achini Wijesinghe, gender advisor for the USAID Sri Lanka Energy Program! In this video, Achini discusses her path to international development, the organizations that inspired her and shaped her career and identity, advice for those interested in a career in development, her experience swimming with nurse sharks in the Maldives, and more. Achini…
Elisha John Soni is a water utility operations expert with three decades of experience leading water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects in Nigeria. Elisha has proven expertise in the management and implementation of WASH intervention projects, providing system and efficiency improvement solutions towards reimagining public utilities. His extensive experience includes utility upstream and downstream operations,…
James Racicot is a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) engineer with more than 25 years of experience managing capacity building efforts for water utilities in Canada and over a dozen developing countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa — including two assignments in Nigeria. He is an expert in WASH, environmental assessments, and climate…