USAID climate strategy overlooks key opportunities

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) critiques the draft USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030, arguing that it overlooks critical opportunities to address the climate crisis. CATF recommends that USAID support access to advanced clean energy technologies—such as clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)—which the draft strategy currently deems too early for investment. Additionally, CATF urges USAID to better integrate the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), specifically methane, to align with the Global Methane Pledge. Finally, the organization emphasizes that USAID must ensure its programs are consistent with the specific policy priorities and capacity needs of host countries to ensure successful implementation.

• The draft USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030 excludes investments in advanced clean energy technologies like clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), claiming they are "far from economic or commercial viability". CATF argues this ignores rapid progress and the needs of over ten developing countries that have included these technologies in their nationally determined contributions.
• USAID's draft strategy provides only brief mention of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and does not include them in its goal to prevent 6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) emissions by 2030. CATF suggests this overlooks economical measures to reduce methane, potentially contradicting the goals of the Global Methane Pledge.
• CATF contends that the draft strategy focuses on mitigation without sufficient consideration for the specific policy priorities of host countries, such as poverty eradication, sustainable development, or COVID-recovery, and fails to adequately address the institutional strengthening required for long-term climate goals.

APA

Davis, S. (2021). USAID climate strategy overlooks key opportunities. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2021/12/usaid-climate-strategy-overlooks-key-opportunities/

Chicago

Davis, Stacey. USAID climate strategy overlooks key opportunities. Clean Air Task Force, 2021. https://www.catf.us/2021/12/usaid-climate-strategy-overlooks-key-opportunities/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Davis |first1=Stacey |title=USAID climate strategy overlooks key opportunities |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=10 December 2021 |url=https://www.catf.us/2021/12/usaid-climate-strategy-overlooks-key-opportunities/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{davis2021usaid, author = {Davis, Stacey}, title = {{USAID climate strategy overlooks key opportunities}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://www.catf.us/2021/12/usaid-climate-strategy-overlooks-key-opportunities/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }