Sustainable Landscapes

Description

Sustainable landscapes programs leverage investments in forestry, agriculture, and land usage to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also increasing productivity and addressing rural poverty. Many low-income countries lack the capital and capacity to prevent deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation, making domestic investments in sustainable landscapes untenable.

Use of Funds

Programs aim to capture carbon by conserving, managing, and restoring forests and other lands; building local resilience; and producing economic opportunities. In some cases, funds enable the implementation of sustainable agricultural models to boost productivity.

Justification

• Forests absorb an estimated 30% of annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
• Rampant wildfires in the Amazon, Australia, and Indonesia highlight the vulnerability of these natural carbon sinks. For example, after years of fires and intense deforestation, the Amazon Basin is now a net emitter of greenhouse gases.
• Fires and the drying out of forests release large amounts of methane and nitrous oxide (also GHGs), which are more harmful to the environment than CO₂.
• The Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector accounts for 23% of global GHG emissions.
• Since 2016, over $500 million of private investment has been mobilized by USAID toward sustainable land use activities.