Climate Change Program
As reflected in the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), to which the United States is a Party,
global climate change represents a serious, long-term challenge
for all of the nations of the world. In June 2001, President
Bush committed the United States to work within the United
Nations’ framework and elsewhere to develop an effective
and science-based response to the issue of global climate
change.
The President’s climate change policy announcement in
February 2002 also highlighted the critical importance of
developing-country participation in any effective global response
to climate change,
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Indian woman
draws water from the ground using a pump powered by solar
energy, a carbon free source of power
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including both near-term efforts to slow greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions growth and longer-term efforts to build capacity
for future cooperation. The Administration’s policy
states: “USAID serves as a critical vehicle for transferring
American energy and sequestration technologies to developing
countries to promote sustainable development and minimize
their GHG emissions growth.”
The goal of USAID’s climate change programs are to
promote development that minimizes the associated growth in
GHG emissions, assists vulnerable populations and ecosystems
to adapt to potential impacts from climate variability and
change, and supports climate observation systems. To accomplish
this goal, USAID works in developing and transition countries
to implement “win-win” solutions that provide
climate-related benefits while also meeting development objectives
in the energy and water sectors, urban areas, forest conservation,
agriculture, and disaster assistance. These solutions include
activities that: (1) promote the transfer of clean energy
technologies; (2) measure reductions in GHG emissions; (3)
promote carbon management through improved land use; (4) support
countries to participate more effectively in the U.S. Framework
Convention on Climate Change; and (5) assess vulnerability
to the impacts of climate change and increase adaptive capacity.
Although USAID works on climate change issues in more than
40 countries, the Agency has focused its climate change activities
in three sub-regions: Central Africa, Central America and
Central Asia, and eight countries: Brazil, India, Indonesia,
Mexico, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, and Ukraine.
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