August 2024 Newsletter Recap: Climate Resilience

Did you miss the Climatelinks August newsletter? We’ve got you covered. Please find a recap of the August ‘Climate Resilience’ theme below. You won’t want to miss this short list of top resources and blogs from the month. Subscribe to our newsletter today. Do you want to contribute to the Climatelinks community? Send us a resource, blog, or event.

Extreme weather events and slow-onset climate impacts aggravate existing social, economic, and political challenges and inequities and degrade ecosystems and natural resources. They also drive migration and increase the risk of conflict. USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy aims to help at-risk populations build their climate resilience and increase the Agency’s focus on addressing climate-related migration. 

Fresh Blog Posts

Climate and Mobility: USAID Efforts to Move Toward Resilience

Climate change is exacerbating food and water insecurity, sea level rise, and extreme weather events, which is affecting livelihoods and reducing liveability, leading to mobility. USAID is committed to improving the well-being of people who migrate or are displaced by climate impacts, as well as the people and communities that receive them.

Resilient Coffee Farming for Biodiversity Conservation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was once hailed “a paradise for coffee” because of its rich soils and ideal climatic conditions. But in the past few decades, conflict, climate change, and a lack of sufficient economic growth have kept the region in a state of turmoil, limiting farmers’ ability to successfully farm and sell coffee. Now, a new USAID partnership is helping farmers improve their coffee production and sales.

Come Drought or High Water: Adapting to Climate Challenges While Combating Malaria in Zambia

Extreme weather like rising temperatures and flash floods, which are being made worse by climate change, may increase the risk of malaria transmission. The President’s Malaria Initiative created its first Climate Framework in April 2024 as a guide to addressing the impacts of climate change on Zambia’s malaria programming.

Advancing Pakistan’s Voluntary Carbon Market: Assess for Success

One tool to accelerate climate action and increase the flow of capital towards climate-positive investments is a voluntary carbon market (VCM). In early 2023, USAID/Pakistan set a goal of helping the Government of Pakistan establish a legal framework for the country’s VCM and increase the capacity of the Ministry of Climate Change and private sector project developers to implement it.

USAID Receives Recognition for Leadership on Climate-Related Risk Disclosure in Financial and Performance Reporting, Enhancing Climate Resilience

In May 2024, USAID received a Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting Award and a special Best-in-Class Award for integrating climate-related risk information in performance reporting in its FY 2023 Agency Financial Report. Transparently disclosing its climate-related risks in annual reporting is one aspect of USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy. 

The RISE Grants Challenge: Addressing Gender-based Violence in Climate and Environmental Contexts

The likelihood of gender-based violence (GBV) rises as environmental degradation increases, making women’s need to adapt to climate change and strengthen their resilience crucial. The Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Environments (RISE) grants challenge supports activities designed to address GBV in environment and climate change programs and generate evidence on promising interventions.

Enhancing Community Resilience: Addressing Compound and Cascading Climate Shocks 

When development actors integrate climate risk into their work, risks are typically assessed by looking at different hazards and sectors independently. However, given the growing frequency and severity of interconnected risks, development actors, including policymakers, donors, and implementers, must adopt a comprehensive approach that considers the possibilities of compound and cascading risk.

New Resources

USAID Comprehensive Action for Climate Change Initiative (CACCI) Project Page

CACCI is a global program designed to help countries develop and implement ambitious policies and practices that mitigate climate change and increase resilience. CACCI works with USAID Missions, partner governments, the private sector, and local experts to facilitate climate action that is driven by the needs and priorities of each country to meet their Paris Agreement obligations. 

Resilience in the Sahel-Enhanced (RISE) Initiative Phase II: Baseline Report

The second phase of the USAID RISE initiative is being implemented from 2019 to 2025 in targeted zones of Burkina Faso and Niger. The initiative focuses on building resilience in the face of recurrent shocks, including climate shocks, economic shocks, conflict shocks, and health shocks such as those associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Climate Change Mitigation in the Mekong River Delta Assessment: Final Report

In 2023, USAID/Vietnam conducted an assessment to determine opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Mekong River Delta and investigate which interventions would yield the greatest co-benefits for biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. The assessment answered 17 research questions covering areas including rice, horticulture, livestock, and blue carbon sectors.

Climate Resilient Water Management – A Systems Change Approach

USAID/Pakistan developed a new theory of change that integrates trust, reciprocity, and respect for informal institutions with market mechanisms. This approach aims to promote integrated water resource management models. Part of the new approach included a mindset shift so that high precipitation and large runoff events are viewed not as precursors to floods, but as economic opportunities to be harnessed in often arid climates. 

Climate Risk Management Spotlight

Climate Risk Management (CRM) Hub

Climate variability and change present significant challenges that affect the environment and economic stability. CRM enhances the resilience and sustainability of USAID’s initiatives. By systematically assessing, addressing, and adaptively managing climate risks, CRM ensures effective use of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Climatelinks hosts dozens of resources related to USAID’s CRM work in its CRM Hub. 

Call for Content

Share your events and resources or write a blog related to an upcoming monthly theme! Check out our upcoming themes to see if your climate work aligns:

• September and October: Just Energy Transition
• November: COP29 – we’re especially looking for implementation stories about USAID initiatives announced at previous COPs!
• 2024 Cross-cutting Themes: Systems Change and Locally Led Development

If your USAID-related climate change work relates to these themes, Climatelinks would love to feature your work and share your resources. Send us a resource or blog.