Today at COP28, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced that USAID is committing more than $53 million for new low-carbon and climate resilient activities in 23 cities in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These funds will provide resources to translate national climate ambitions into local action in urban areas. Cities are responsible for 75 percent of the planet’s CO2 emissions and are home to over half of the world’s population. By funding local solutions in cities, USAID is minimizing the costs and consequences of climate impacts while protecting development gains.
The new initiatives will focus on supporting programs and partnerships that enable local governments to anticipate climate risks and target urban issues like air pollution in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; and building resilience to rising temperatures and water scarcity in Rajkot, India. In other cities, like Hermosillo and Merida, Mexico and Mbombela, South Africa, other focus areas include decarbonizing the transportation sector with electric vehicles and public transportation, transitioning buildings to net zero emissions through energy efficiency measures and clean energy sources, accelerating innovative adaptation solutions, and expanding climate finance options for local governments.
This funding complements and expands USAID’s ongoing work to enable and empower local governments and vulnerable communities to realize their own resilient, low-carbon futures.