USAID announces major initiative to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions

On November 3, The Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development Samantha Power announced a major new initiative to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions as part of the U.S. Government’s efforts to combat the climate crisis. USAID will support partner countries to prevent six billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 2030. This cumulative amount is roughly equal to total U.S. domestic emissions for one year or the equivalent of removing more than 1 billion gasoline powered cars from the road for one year.

This goal will be achieved through a series of new and forthcoming programs that support partner countries to reduce and sequester emissions by transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and conserving, protecting, and better managing tropical forests, mangroves and other important ecosystems that sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide among other measures to mitigate climate change.

New programs and commitments that support this target include:

• Supporting the protection, restoration, or management of 100 million hectares of critical landscapes that serve as important carbon sinks.
• Mobilizing billions of dollars in public and private finance for natural climate solutions by 2030.
• Launching new partnerships with the private sector to reduce deforestation in commodity supply chains.
• Investing in “green city” strategies to catalyze urban shifts to reduce emissions and improve climate resilience.
• A U.S.-Europe Energy Bridge to advance the clean energy transition and digital transformation of the energy sector in at least 10 countries.
• A public-partnership with Apple, Nike, H&M, and Google, among others, to advance clean energy policies and accelerate the deployment of today’s clean, smart, and state-of-the-art technologies across Southeast Asia.

USAID will also align ongoing and forthcoming natural climate solutions and renewable energy programs with the Agency’s forthcoming 2022-2030 Climate Strategy in support of this commitment.