U.S. Agency for International Development's 2021 Climate Readiness Plan

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS USAID Policy Statement for Climate Change 3 Summary 5 Introduction 5 Priority Adaptation Actions 6 USAID Climate Strategy and Mainstreaming 6 Climate Risk Management 9 Ensuring a Climate-Ready Workforce 12 Procurement and Supply Chains 16 Topic 1: Climate Vulnerability Assessment 19 Vulnerability 1: Real Property 19 Vulnerability 2: Procurement and Supply Chains 21 Vulnerability 3: Infrastructure and Support Systems 23 Vulnerability 4: Health and Safety 25 Vulnerability 5: Security 26 Topic 2: Enhancing the Climate Literacy of USAID’s Management Workforce 27 Topic 3: Agency Actions to Enhance Climate Resilience 27 Actions for Climate-Ready Sites and Facilities 27 Actions to Ensure a Climate-Ready Supply of Products and Services 28 3 USAID Policy Statement for Climate Change August 2021 In the face of an existential climate crisis that undermines global food and water security; contributes to disasters, conflict, and displacement; exacerbates global inequities; and threatens lives, livelihoods, and decades of development progress, USAID will accelerate ambitious, just, and resilient solutions to meet international climate and sustainable development goals. USAID plays a critical role in implementing climate solutions on the ground with countries that are not only most affected by the climate crisis but also integral partners in addressing it. Executive Order (E.O.) 14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad builds on the existing regulatory framework of E.O. 13677 and 22 Code of Federal Regulations 216 and presents a renewed opportunity to ensure climate change is a top priority for USAID. The Agency will continue to strengthen partner countries’ capacities to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts; better manage climate and disaster risks; enhance global food and water security; expand critical renewable energy infrastructure; protect valuable natural resources and key infrastructures; prevent the spread of vector-borne disease and promote resilient health systems; improve access to and use of climate information; and reduce resource related conflict by using climate solutions and adaptation assistance to address intersecting climate and conflict stressors. USAID will elevate and integrate key and emerging issues around justice and equity, including increased and active collaboration with indigenous peoples, women and girls, youth, and others who face the brunt of the climate crisis yet have limited access to or influence over decision-making. And we will remain the U.S. Government’s lead federal coordinator for responding to disasters, which are becoming ever-more frequent, costly and driven by climatic events, and have affected almost four billion people since 2000. Long-term climate resilience requires collective action now and in the coming years for ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reductions. To avoid catastrophic, irreversible impacts, all countries must contribute to cutting global greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030. USAID and the Department of State will coordinate a Global Climate Ambition Initiative to support partner countries as they set and pursue ambitious goals toward a net-zero-emission, climate-resilient future and help implement their nationally determined contributions and national adaptation strategies, in line with the 2016 Paris Agreement. USAID will implement the U.S. Government’s International Climate Finance Plan by providing technical assistance and mobilizing additional private finance to help 20 countries mobilize up to 20 percent of needed funding to implement their nationally determined Paris Agreement contributions, support pathways to net-zero emissions for up to 20 fast-growing economies, and help 20 vulnerable countries double the private-sector funds leveraged toward adaptation goals by 2025. The Agency will further detail these policy objectives and commitments in a new USAID Climate Strategy, a draft of which USAID will release for public comment in November 2021 at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties.at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties. The Climate Strategy will guide the Agency’s efforts to ramp up climate change resilience, mitigation, and adaptation efforts; strategically target climate change resources; and further integrate climate change considerations into international development and humanitarian assistance programs. Finally, and as further detailed in USAID’s new Climate Readiness Plan, USAID will implement specific priority climate-adaptation and risk-mitigation actions across its programs and management functions to increase the resilience of the Agency’s core mission in the face of known climate threats and https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/09/26/2014-23228/climate-resilient-international-development https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt22.1.216&rgn=div5 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/23/fact-sheet-president-bidens-leaders-summit-on-climate/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/U.S.-International-Climate-Finance-Plan-4.22.21-Updated-Spacing.pdf https://unfccc.int/ https://unfccc.int/ https://ukcop26.org/ 4 vulnerabilities. These actions will include implementing the Agency’s forthcoming Climate Strategy; improving implementation of Climate Risk Management; enhancing climate staffing, training, and capacity building to ensure a climate-ready workforce; and deploying a variety of tools and scientific data to ensure both climate-ready sites and facilities as well as a climate-ready supply of mission-critical products and services. Climate change threatens our very existence, undermines global stability and security, and imperils our international development and humanitarian assistance goals disproportionately affecting the communities the Agency already supports. USAID will embrace the best-available climate science and integrate climate change and climate-resilience considerations across the full scope of our programs and operations to ensure they are sustainable and effective. As we work with the global community to develop and implement solutions to the climate crisis, the United States will work hand-in-hand with the interagency and our country, regional, and multilateral partners to address current and future development and humanitarian needs and build a more resilient and equitable future. Samantha Power USAID Administrator August 31, 2021 5 I. Summary The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recognizes the urgency of leveraging our expertise, experience, and partnerships to confront the climate crisis, which threatens to reverse years if not decades of hard-won development gains by exacerbating global inequities, increasing food and water scarcity, threatening lives and livelihoods, and contributing to conflict. With this new Climate Readiness Plan (CRP), USAID is revitalizing its approach to climate change adaptation, resilience, and risk mitigation across the Agency’s programs and operations and is also committing to ambitious mitigation targets and new adaptation actions in alignment with Biden-Harris Administration priorities, multilateral climate objectives, and the newest climate science. USAID’s approach to climate action includes both mitigation and adaptation. Since 2015 and continuing today, in response to Executive Order (E.O.) 13677, Climate-Resilient International Development, USAID has systematically assessed, addressed, and adaptively managed climate risk in all new strategies and development programming. Over the coming years, USAID will further elevate and integrate climate variability and change1 considerations and implications in our Agency-wide policies, priorities, programming, partnerships, and operations. USAID will drive this work through a new and ambitious Climate Strategy, a draft of which USAID will release for public comment in November 2021 at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26). We will engage Missions and key sectors to ramp up our support immediately so that our partner countries— and USAID investments—are resilient to climate shocks and stresses, ensuring the necessary personnel and capacities are in place to position USAID to securely, effectively, and equitably advance development progress into the future and enable the transformations required to achieve shared climate goals. USAID is committed to increasing the resilience of our operations and helping countries achieve a prosperous, net-zero, and resilient future. II. Introduction USAID developed this CRP in accordance with E.O. 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This plan includes a set of four priority adaptation actions USAID will implement on various timelines in the coming years, an assessment of the five biggest climate change vulnerabilities USAID faces related to its management functions, and a discussion of how USAID will enhance the climate literacy of its management workforce, ensure climate-ready sites and facilities, and ensure a climate-ready supply of products and services. USAID aligned this CRP with its budget priorities; existing Joint Strategic Plan (JSP), Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-2022, and forthcoming JSP, FY 2022-2026; forthcoming Climate Strategy; past Sustainability Plans and Reports; and forthcoming 2021 Sustainability Plan and Report. USAID’s Global Climate Change (GCC) Coordinator is responsible for leading the implementation of this CRP. USAID developed its first Climate Change Adaptation Plan in 2012, in accordance with E.O. 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. The plan assessed climate change risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for USAID’s mission, programs, and operations; discussed USAID’s current and past activities to address those issues; and identified actions to understand and address internal climate change vulnerability. USAID’s Climate Change & Development Strategy set out principles, objectives, and priorities for USAID climate change assistance to help countries and communities prepare for and adapt to changes in climate.2 1 USAID uses “climate change” throughout this document to mean “climate variability and change.” Both climate variability and change are important considerations for climate resilience at USAID. 2 These principles, objectives, and priorities are also reflected in USAID’s Policy and Program Guidance on Building Resilience to Recurrent Crisis, which the Agency first issued in late 2012 and is currently updating. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/09/26/2014-23228/climate-resilient-international-development https://ukcop26.org/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/JSP FY 2018 - 2022 FINAL.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/JSP FY 2018 - 2022 FINAL.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usaid-2020-sustainability-plan.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1865/Agency%20Climate%20Change%20Adaptation%20Plan%202012.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/10/08/E9-24518/federal-leadership-in-environmental-energy-and-economic-performance https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf docs/PDACS780.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/policy/resilience https://www.usaid.gov/policy/resilience 6 USAID updated its Climate Change Adaptation Plan in 2013 to incorporate suggestions received during a 60-day public comment period and reported on progress on goals established in the first plan. In June 2014, in compliance with E.O. 13653, Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change, USAID developed and published an Agency Adaptation Policy Statement and a supplement to its 2013 Climate Change Adaptation Plan. At that time, USAID also updated its 2013 Climate Change Adaptation Plan and Vulnerability Assessment. In its updated plan, USAID identified 35 adaptation actions it would explore and implement. Since 2014, USAID has moved forward on those actions. As a result, USAID further integrated climate into program guidance and tools, training and capacity building, procurement, facilities management and operations, incentives, outreach and collaboration, and research and evaluation. Importantly, USAID developed and has implemented since 2015 its Climate Risk Management (CRM) policy, which is the means by which USAID has mainstreamed systematically assessing, addressing, and adaptively managing climate risks within all new Regional/Country Development Cooperation Strategies (R/CDCSs) and development programs, with nearly all new projects being screened at the design stage for climate risks. III. Priority Adaptation Actions USAID has identified four priority adaptation actions in this plan. USAID will seek to implement these adaptation actions on the specified timeframes and based on the specific variables detailed below. Some of these actions are ongoing, while some will require USAID to conduct additional research and explore new, more innovative approaches by collaborating with partners across the U.S. government (USG) and in the private and nongovernmental sectors. USAID will report its progress against these actions annually, as required by E.O. 14008. The four priority actions are: 1. USAID Climate Strategy and Mainstreaming Description USAID will develop a new Climate Strategy (Strategy) that will guide the Agency’s efforts to target climate change resources strategically; ramp up climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts; and integrate climate change considerations into international development and humanitarian assistance programs as well as Agency and partner operations. This Strategy will build on USAID’s long track record of major contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation. For instance, we will continue to integrate climate change within democracy, health, and other programs. Such programs can address climate change and provide important co-benefits without deviating from the objectives of those programs. For example, USAID has developed climate change mainstreaming toolkits for most of the sectors in which the Agency works. By mainstreaming climate into our development portfolio and policies, we strengthen the resilience of communities and their food and water systems so they are better equipped to lead and manage efforts to address ongoing climate shocks and stresses—while preventing the spread of vector-borne diseases, building stronger infrastructure, reducing conflict over resources, reducing inequalities, increasing confidence in governments, and protecting development progress. In so doing, USAID can leverage its development and humanitarian expertise, partnerships, and on-the-ground presence for climate action. This Strategy will also set new time-bound performance targets, including on how the Agency will scale impact, support partner countries to address adaptation needs, and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. In addition, the Strategy will amplify and expand USAID’s unique role to lead in climate adaptation and respond to climate-related disasters, as climate change disproportionately affects the https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/11/06/2013-26785/preparing-the-united-states-for-the-impacts-of-climate-change https://www.climatelinks.org/sites/default/files/asset/document/USAIDAgencyAdaptationPlan FY15.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/environmental-compliance-esdm-program-cycle/environmental-procedures-climate-risk-management https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/environmental-compliance-esdm-program-cycle/environmental-procedures-climate-risk-management https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mal https://www.usaid.gov/climate/integration https://www.usaid.gov/climate/integration 7 communities the Agency already supports. Further, USAID will elevate and integrate key and emerging issues around climate justice and equity,3 including increased and active collaboration with indigenous peoples, women and girls, youth, and others who face the brunt of the climate crisis yet have historically had limited access to or influence over decision-making. USAID will take steps to ensure that climate change activities do not perpetuate inequality or cause or exacerbate stressors of conflict, corruption, or injustice. Goal Develop and release a new USAID-wide Climate Strategy that delivers tangible development objectives, mainstreams climate change into Agency programs and operations, and establishes firm timelines, milestones, and targets, as well as appropriate resource commitments. Agency Lead USAID’s GCC Coordinator will be responsible for these adaptation actions. These actions will require significant internal collaboration across Bureaus and Independent Offices (B/IOs), which USAID’s Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) will help facilitate as needed. Different B/IOs will lead and support different actions relevant to their functional responsibilities. In April 2021, USAID established a Climate Change Leadership Council (CCLC). The heads of all B/IOs and the CSO are members to ensure USAID collaborates on and addresses climate change at the highest level. Risks and Opportunities Risk: If USAID does not develop a bold, ambitious new Climate Strategy to guide its climate efforts, then the Agency will miss opportunities to lead and collaborate to affect and protect significant climate integration, adaptation, resilience, and mitigation progress around the world and will not maximize its potential to help achieve shared climate goals and combat climate change globally. Opportunity: If USAID develops a bold, ambitious new Climate Strategy and continues to mainstream climate change into its strategies, policies, priorities, and activities, then the Agency can seize opportunities to lead by example and leverage a coordinated, effective, whole-of-Agency approach to combating climate change, championing climate justice, and ultimately maximizing its contributions to achieving shared climate goals. Scale Global Timeframe USAID will commence and anticipates completing this set of actions on various timelines from FY 2021 – FY 2024. Implementing Methods To achieve this priority action, USAID will: ● Develop a new Climate Strategy, which USAID’s CCLC will guide and in which USAID will embed climate equity and justice. Release a draft of the Climate Strategy at COP 26 for public comment and begin implementing the Strategy. ● Champion and elevate climate change action in strategic plans, which could include the National Security Strategy (NSS) process being managed by the National Security Council (NSC); the forthcoming DOS-USAID JSP, FY 2022 3 In June 2020, USAID established an Environmental Equity and Justice (EEJ) Working Group to focus on elevating equitable and inclusive climate and environmental action. USAID has integrated EEJ into as a focal area of the Agency’s Environmental and Natural Resource Management (ENRM) Framework. https://ukcop26.org/ https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/environment-and-global-climate-change/enrm-framework https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/environment-and-global-climate-change/enrm-framework 8 2026; R/CDCSs, when feasible and relevant;4 and creating a climate-focused Agency Priority Goal (APG) for FY 2022-2023. ● Develop policies or guidance as needed, which could include interim policy guidance on climate change and a framework to apply NSS and JSP climate components to USAID’s work. ● Explore endorsing and committing to the Principles for Locally Led Adaptation Action. ● Establish sector goals that put climate change at the center of USAID’s work on food security, water, health, humanitarian assistance, democracy and governance, human rights, conflict mitigation, disaster-risk reduction, energy, and biodiversity conservation. ● Collaborate with DOS and other relevant USG agencies on a number of interagency strategies and strategy revisions, including but not limited to the U.S. Global Food Security Strategy, the U.S. Global Water Strategy, the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) Strategy, and the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan. Performance Metrics Potential quantitative metrics include: ● Through the Climate Strategy, USAID will establish targets and a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plan to track progress toward goals. Potential qualitative metrics include: ● Climate Strategy draft released for public comment at COP 26. ● Decision on endorsing and committing to the Principles for Locally Led Adaptation Action. ● Climate change elevated in strategic plans and APGs, as appropriate. ● Policies and guidance developed, as needed, and climate change objectives integrated into strategies, approaches, guidelines, and training materials for key sectors. ● Completed collaboration with DOS and other relevant USG agencies on interagency strategies and strategy revisions. Intergovern mental and Partner Coordination USAID will engage and coordinate with other entities, as appropriate for each implementing method and deliverable. This will include USG interagency partners, including DOS, the NSC, and others, as appropriate; implementing partners (IPs), including host-country governments, the UN, the private sector, civil society, communities (especially those most affected by climate change), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), independent international organizations, multisectoral coalitions, and academia. Resource Implications This set of actions is resource intensive, as it requires significant time and human capital inputs and coordination from across a broad swath of USAID, including Functional, Geographic, and Headquarters Bureaus. Human resources, increased capacity, and programmatic funding will determine the extent to which USAID is able to mainstream climate across its portfolio and the level at which USAID is able to implement its new Climate Strategy. USAID can achieve some but not all of these actions within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 4 USAID conducts periodic strategic planning processes, culminating in R/CDCSs. Many USAID Missions released new CDCSs or RDCSs over the last two years. USAID has reviewed these recently approved CDCSs and is developing the remaining five CDCSs that are still outstanding. CDCSs are available via www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/planning/country-strategies-cdcs. Climate change annexes, if not included in the CDCSs, are available via www.climatelinks.org/country-development cooperation-strategies-climate-annexes. https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/Locally Led Adaptation Principles - Endorsement Version.pdf https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/Locally Led Adaptation Principles - Endorsement Version.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/us-government-global-food-security-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/water-and-sanitation/us-global-water-strategy https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020-US-Strategy-to-Prevent-Conflict-and-Promote-Stabilit-508c-508.pdf https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020-US-Strategy-to-Prevent-Conflict-and-Promote-Stabilit-508c-508.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/PMI%20Strategy%202015-2020.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1864/PMI%20Strategy%202015-2020.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/U.S.-International-Climate-Finance-Plan-4.22.21-Updated-Spacing.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus https://www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/planning/country-strategies-cdcs https://www.climatelinks.org/country-development-cooperation-strategies-climate-annexes https://www.climatelinks.org/country-development-cooperation-strategies-climate-annexes 9 Challenges or Considerations Challenges to executing this set of actions include time, budget, and current staffing constraints. In addition, USAID will need to take into account the goals, constraints, and legislative requirements associated with various sectors. USAID aims to increase buy-in by ensuring the Climate Strategy development process is inclusive and collaborative, including across key sectors and regions. Other considerations include that USAID is not and will not be solely in control of some deliverables, because USAID is and will be coordinating with USG partners on deliverables and working with host-country counterparts. In addition, some USAID deliverables will depend on completion of others first. For example, DOS and USAID are collaboratively developing the JSP, 2022-2026, and USAID’s Policy Framework will flow from the NSS and JSP. Highlights of Accomplish ments to Date USAID released a robust Climate Strategy in January 2012 and implemented it through 2018. That strategy guided USAID’s work assisting countries in their moves toward climate-resilient, low-emission economic development. The strategy set forth three overarching objectives—Adaptation, Integration, and Mitigation—which USAID largely pursued with three sources of funding: Adaptation, Clean Energy, and Sustainable Landscapes. In line with our climate strategies, and as described above, USAID has worked for years to mainstream climate considerations across our development portfolio and policies to achieve programmatic co-benefits by addressing adaptation and mitigation. Our experience to date has shown that ownership and buy-in by sector experts is critical to successful integration and implementation at scale. USAID has also been scaling up new and innovative climate finance methods that engage the private sector and encourage equitable and sustainable growth across all development sectors. Some examples of USAID’s experience with private finance for adaptation include: Aceli Africa, which applies first-loss coverage to create incentives for banks to lend to small businesses that support climate-smart and resilient agriculture; and green bonds, which raised $28 billion in funds for resilient water and energy infrastructure in India and Egypt. In addition, a recent USAID funded climate finance assessment demonstrated clear opportunities for USAID to scale financing for clean energy, natural climate solutions, and climate adaptation. On the humanitarian side, USAID pioneered disaster risk financing approaches and instruments, such as Rapid-Response Mechanisms, to better respond to climate related humanitarian crises. 2. Climate Risk Management Description USAID systematically assesses, addresses, and adaptively manages climate risks within all new R/CDCSs and development programs, in accordance with Agency policy codified in Automated Directives System (ADS) 201mat and ADS 201mal, and together with USAID’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, which is required under 22 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 216 (Reg 216) and described in detail in ADS 204. USAID’s sector environmental guidelines include information on how climate change should be considered in USAID’s environmental compliance https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf docs/PDACS780.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/200maa https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-finance-assessment-opportunities-scaling-financing-clean-energy-sustainable https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mat https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mal https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt22.1.216&rgn=div5 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/204 https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/sectoral-environmental-social-best-practices/sector-environmental-guidelines-resources 10 process.5 A senior cadre of Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) staff and more than 80 Mission Environmental Officers (MEOs), many of whom are Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs), oversee USAID’s environmental compliance process. USAID’s CRM policy requires nearly all projects to be screened at the design stage for climate risks. USAID has designated Climate Integration Leads (CILs) within nearly all Bureaus and Missions to support CRM. CRM has mainstreamed the practice and culture of considering climate change and climate risks at key moments in the design phase for development projects and activities across the Agency. CRM also provides critical information to USAID, identifying and helping to mitigate moderate or high climate risks in more than half of our programs, as documented in past reviews; improves the effectiveness and sustainability of our efforts; increases countries’ resilience to a changing climate; and ensures U.S. taxpayer dollars are well spent.6 Programmatically, USAID will build on these processes, aiming to consider climate change more holistically and identify opportunities hand in hand with risks. USAID will integrate and escalate climate risk in the Agency’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework to better address climate risks facing USAID.7 Goal Improve implementation of CRM and further mainstream climate considerations and implications into programming in all areas. Advance the integration of climate risk into USAID’s ERM process. Agency Lead DDI will lead CRM actions, with support from Bureau and Mission CILs and engagement from staff across the Agency. USAID’s CSO will be accountable for the actions focused on ERM working with the Executive Management Council on Risk and Internal Control (EMCRIC), Risk-Management Council (RMC), the ERM Secretariat, Operating Units (OU) Risk Management Liaisons (RMLs), and climate technical experts. Risks and Opportunities Risks: ● If USAID does not improve CRM implementation, then the Agency may not adequately consider climate risk and may miss opportunities to strengthen programming in all sectors to achieve development gains and climate results. ● If USAID does not consider climate change risk in its ERM process, then the Agency’s continuity of operations (COOP) and program delivery will be at risk, potentially disrupting our ability to achieve our mission. Opportunities: ● If USAID improves and builds on CRM, then USAID can better manage climate risks, improve programming, and enhance climate results across all development and humanitarian programs. ● If USAID continues to advance the integration of climate risk into its ERM process, then USAID can better and more efficiently anticipate, identify, and 5 USAID’s R/CDCS and environmental review processes account for the legislative requirement that USAID’s programs do not contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss, which climate change may exacerbate. 6 For more information about USAID’s CRM process, see https://www.climatelinks.org/climate-risk-management. 7 USAID’s ERM process is described in ADS 596mab and aligned with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A 123, the strategic planning and review process required by the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRA) Modernization Act of 2010, the internal control processes required by the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) of 1982, and the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO’s) Green Book. https://www.climatelinks.org/climate-risk-management https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/596mab.pdf https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/circulars a123 rev https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/circulars a123 rev https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/2142 https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/2142 https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/2142 https://www.congress.gov/bill/97th-congress/house-bill/1526 https://www.congress.gov/bill/97th-congress/house-bill/1526 https://www.gao.gov/greenbook 11 leverage opportunities to further mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change while contributing to the achievement of shared climate goals. Scale Global Timeframe USAID will identify priority actions and begin implementing them in FY 2022 and finish this initial set of actions during FY 2023. USAID recognizes that an iterative approach to implementation may result in additional plans and milestones. Implementing Methods To successfully achieve this priority action, USAID will: ● Implement high-impact recommendations from USAID’s 2020 CRM evaluation and other analyses. ● Explore opportunities to build on CRM to improve mainstreaming of climate change considerations and results for both adaptation and mitigation. ● Leverage USAID’s ERM governance structure to analyze and develop options to advance climate risk integration into USAID’s ERM process, including across Bureaus, Independent Offices, and Missions (B/IO/M). ● Implement post-specific COOP plans that consider climate risk and are linked to the post Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Performance Metrics Potential qualitative metrics include: ● Completed implementation of high-impact recommendations from USAID’s 2020 CRM evaluation and other analyses. ● Opportunities identified to build on CRM to improve mainstreaming of climate change considerations and results for both adaptation and mitigation. ● Completed analysis of options to advance the integration of climate risk into USAID’s ERM process. ● Implemented post-specific COOP plans with climate risk considered. Intergovern mental Coordination USAID will share lessons learned from implementing CRM with DOS and other agencies that work internationally. USAID will coordinate with other agencies, as appropriate and necessary, to coordinate managing climate risk with the USG agencies with which USAID works most closely on facilities management and shared services. Resource Implications These adaptation actions will require, at a minimum, time from USAID’s CILs and CRM team in DDI. Ultimately, it will require engagement from staff across USAID to fully integrate CRM and climate change results in programming in all areas. Resources may be required to develop training and support materials. Full success may be incumbent on adding staff in DDI, other Bureaus, and the Missions. USAID will achieve many but not all of these actions within the Agency’s existing resources and the request for additional staff included in the FY 2022 President’s Budget. ERM-focused actions will require time from the ERM Executive Secretariat in the Bureau for Management’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer (M/CFO), the EMCRIC, RMC, OU Risk Management Liaisons, and USAID climate technical experts. These actions will also likely require the time of personnel from other USG agencies with which USAID coordinates closely on facilities management and shared services, including DOS and GSA. Challenges or Considerations In general, challenges to executing this set of actions include time and human resource costs, competing priorities, and current staffing constraints. In particular, https://www.climatelinks.org/blog/evaluation-usaids-climate-risk-management-crm-process-finds-significant-progress-well 12 USAID anticipates that staffing, technical capacity, and resource constraints in B/IO/Ms might inhibit USAID’s ability to implement and track climate risks and risk-management measures over time. Highlights of Accomplish ments to Date As described above, USAID’s EIA process has been in place for more than 45 years, and climate change considerations are a key part of that process. Since 2015, as part of its response to E.O. 13677, Climate-Resilient International Development, USAID has been systematically assessing, addressing, and adaptively managing climate risks within all new R/CDCSs and development programs. In FY 2019, for example, USAID screened 98 percent of new nonemergency projects during the design stage. More than half identified moderate or high climate risks—and for these, the Agency identified and applied a series of risk-management measures, many at low or no cost. In May 2021, USAID edited ADS 201mal to align with updates to the program cycle. USAID has also developed and shared a wide suite of related technical resources, including 79 climate risk profiles, 72 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fact sheets, and a climate risk screening and management tool with nine sector annexes. Most resources to support CRM are externally available to USAID implementing partners and other interested parties, including the publicly available online training, “What Is the Climate Risk Management Process?” CRM resources on Climatelinks.org have been accessed by more than 300,000 users since 2018. Internally, USAID also systematically manages risks across B/IO/Ms through its existing ERM process, managed by the ERM Secretariat and chaired by the CFO. 3. Ensuring a Climate-Ready Workforce Description Successfully implementing USAID’s Climate Strategy and mainstreaming climate considerations and results across USAID programming will require: 1) putting in place sufficient climate change staffing at the right levels, including climate change experts with career status who can engage directly with sector efforts, both in Washington and the Missions; 2) ensuring employees have the climate change related knowledge and skills they need; and 3) ensuring that employees are incentivized to integrate climate change successfully into their day-to-day work. USAID will also ensure its global workforce is climate ready by institutionalizing expanded telework and remote-work flexibilities and capacities, exploring expanding the use of virtual temporary duty assignments (TDYs) to provide globally ready and accessible technical support and professional development opportunities, and ensuring operational preparedness to respond to climate change threats and effects (e.g., increasingly frequent and intense heavy rainfall, flooding, storms, and heatwaves that disrupt facilities and commuting). This action builds on training and capacity building and COOP adaptation activities USAID described in its Climate Change Adaptation Plan for FY15, on years of work developing and delivering climate change training to technical and nontechnical audiences, on USAID’s response to the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, and most recently, on the COVID-19 pandemic mandatory telework and plans for increased flexibility in USAID’s return to work plan. Including activities related to institutionalizing USAID’s expanded use of telework and remote-work flexibilities and capacities will help ensure a globally climate-ready and resilient workforce. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/09/26/2014-23228/climate-resilient-international-development https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mal https://www.climatelinks.org/content/climate-risk-management-resources-and-training https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-risk-management-elearning https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-risk-management-elearning https://www.climatelinks.org/ https://www.climatelinks.org/sites/default/files/asset/document/USAIDAgencyAdaptationPlan FY15.pdf https://www.congress.gov/111/plaws/publ292/PLAW-111publ292.pdf 13 Goal Ensure USAID has the capacity in place to implement its Climate Strategy, including mainstreaming climate into programming, and that its global workforce is climate ready and resilient. Agency Lead Putting the necessary staffing in place at appropriate levels and building the required capacity will require leadership across all parts of the Agency. Therefore, the CCLC, with support from climate change staff in DDI, will lead on climate change staffing and capacity building. The Office of Human Capital and Talent Management (HCTM), the Bureau for Management (M), and technical and training staff across the Agency will also support these efforts. USAID’s CSO will lead actions on the following topics, with support from the following entities: Telework and Remote-Work Flexibilities ● HCTM ● The Office of the Chief Information Officer (M/CIO) ● The Office of Management Services (M/MS) Virtual TDYs ● HCTM ● B/IO/Ms ● The Agency Approach to Field Services (AAFS) Team within the Office of Management Policy, Budget, and Performance (M/MPBP) Risks and Opportunities Risks: ● If USAID does not achieve sufficient climate change staffing and does not equip employees with the knowledge and skills to integrate climate into their work and respond effectively to climate change threats and effects, then USAID will not be able respond effectively to the climate crisis, nor accomplish its mission. ● If USAID does not put in place expanded telework and remote-work flexibilities and capacities and virtual TDYs, then USAID may not be able to ensure COOP in the face of climate change-related emergencies. Opportunities: ● If USAID achieves sufficient climate change staffing and equips employees with the knowledge and skills to integrate climate into their work and respond effectively to climate change threats and effects, then USAID will be able to respond effectively to the climate crisis and accomplish its mission. ● If USAID institutionalizes expanded telework and remote-work flexibilities, then USAID can attract and hire from a bigger, more diverse pool of talent, which can help USAID diversify and strengthen its workforce and service delivery. ● If USAID expands the use of virtual TDYs, then USAID can save money and time, reduce GHG emissions from foregone travel, and allow Washington, D.C based staff to provide assistance to more Missions. Virtual TDYs can also empower FSNs and other local staff via more accessible technical assistance and increased global professional development opportunities. Scale Global Timeframe USAID will develop climate staffing and capacity-building plans in FY 2022. USAID will begin implementing capacity building in FY 2022 and finish this initial 14 set of actions during FY 2023. USAID recognizes that an iterative approach to implementation may result in additional plans and milestones. Implementing Methods To achieve this priority action, USAID will: Staffing, Training, and Capacity Building ● Develop an Agency-wide climate staffing plan, aligned with the implementation of USAID’s Climate Strategy and the USAID Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy. ● Engage with DOS and other USG agencies to identify opportunities to collaborate on climate change training and capacity building for employees, recognizing that USAID will also need different training for different audiences (e.g., CILs, Program Officers, Contracting/Agreement Officer’s Representatives [C/AORs], Executive Officers [EXOs]). ● Involve all OUs to develop and implement plans to build the climate knowledge and skills of staff, leadership, and IPs. ● Provide access to relevant training, especially for Mission and operations staff performing activity design functions, including mandatory requirements, where appropriate. ● Provide clear messaging and concrete actions by leadership to authorize, incentivize, and provide staff with space and time to consider and address climate change. In particular, Mission leadership will elevate and support CILs and other climate champions to access resources, gain skills, and complete their functions. Telework and Remote-Work Flexibilities ● Explore institutionalizing expanded telework and remote-work flexibilities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance climate-related COOP preparedness.8 ● Update Agency Telework Policy (ADS 405) to enable rapid shifts to telework and remote work in the face of climate change-related emergencies and evacuation orders. Virtual TDYs ● Explore expanding the use of virtual TDYs, including by analyzing the quality of virtual TDY technical support and determining whether and how best to expand virtual TDY use. Performance Metrics Potential quantitative metrics include: ● Count of personnel who receive climate training. ● Count of employees with remote-work agreements, count of employee hours teleworked and/or frequency with which employees telework. ● Count of virtual TDYs completed. Potential qualitative metrics include: ● Agency-wide climate staffing plan developed. ● Clear messaging and concrete actions provided by leadership to authorize, incentivize, and provide staff with space and time to consider and address climate change. CILs elevated and supported by Mission leadership to access resources, gain skills, and complete their functions. ● Completed plan for expanding telework and remote-work flexibilities, ● Completed analysis of the quality of virtual TDY technical support. 8 Telework is and will remain a significant part of USAID’s COVID-19 response. USAID’s COOP Program is described in ADS 531. https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/diversity-equity-inclusion https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/diversity-equity-inclusion https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/400/405 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/531.pdf 15 Intergovern mental Coordination USAID will engage with the interagency and partners, including DOS, to share USAID climate change training resources, tools, and lessons learned, as appropriate, and to understand the broader universe of existing climate change-related training resources USAID could leverage. USAID will also coordinate with DOS about overseas telework, which falls under the Chief of Mission Authority. Resource Implications Additional staffing on climate is required. Time and resources from DDI, HCTM, Missions, and M Bureau (including the USAID CSO), and climate technical staff from other OUs is required to develop capacity-building plans and deliver the necessary training. USAID has included a staffing increase in the FY 2022 President’s Budget. Challenges or Considerations In general, challenges to executing this set of actions include time and human resource costs, competing priorities, and current staffing constraints. Staffing, Training, and Capacity Building Current staffing caps, Operating Expenses (OE) funding levels, and program funding allocations limit USAID’s ability to increase climate change staffing. USAID needs to dedicate climate and non-climate resources to climate staffing and capacity building. USAID is planning for how it can achieve both baseline and more optimal levels of climate change capacity, understanding that staff in all sectors, particularly activity designers, will require climate change knowledge and skills to achieve our objectives. Telework and Remote-Work Flexibilities USAID anticipates complexities related to planning, developing, and applying policy based on geography (domestic vs. regional vs. global), infrastructure needs and availability, job function and hiring mechanism, supervisor and staff relationships, and organizational culture and change. Virtual TDYs USAID anticipates complexities related to providing technical support virtually: providers highly value opportunities to travel to the field, and receivers often voice a preference that providers be physically present to understand the local environment and circumstances. Highlights of Accomplish ments to Date Staffing, Training, and Capacity Building Given the Agency’s long-standing and robust work on climate change, as described above, USAID already has highly qualified staff with the right knowledge and skills to meet the needs and opportunities of this moment. While the overall number of staff is inadequate, nearly all Bureaus and many Missions have some highly qualified climate change experts and designated CILs. USAID also offers a variety of in-person and online climate change training opportunities, including introductory courses on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) for all employees, and Mission tailored courses and training programs on special topics in climate change, such as climate-smart food security. Since 2011, USAID has conducted more than 25,000 person hours of climate change training for USAID, other USG, and IP staff, reaching individuals from 72 Missions worldwide. Around 1,500 USAID staff have participated in these training sessions. USAID hosts content on Climatelinks.org, our climate change knowledge portal. https://www.climatelinks.org/ 16 Telework and Remote-Work Flexibilities USAID’s IT modernization efforts over the last decade enabled the Agency to transition its entire workforce to maximum telework quickly and smoothly in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overseas, USAID partnered with our Missions to provide flexible IT solutions where telework was not practical or a regular work modality, leveraging connectivity options such as a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), a cloud productivity suite of mail and collaboration tools, and mobile and cloud strategies to keep USAID’s work moving forward. USAID’s customer satisfaction scores for IT support, which increased by 11 percentage points from February 2020 to February 2021, illustrate our success in this area. Virtual TDYs In March 2020, as USAID responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to full time telework, the Agency pivoted to providing remote technical assistance to Missions in lieu of what typically had been in-person support. From FY 2020 Q3 through FY 2021 Q3, 91 percent of Missions’ technical support requests were for virtual assistance. As examples, the Agency provided remote technical assistance for the design of education programs, programmatic support for water and sanitation activities, and public communication, among others. In some cases, virtual support allowed staff to go beyond the scope of a typical TDY on-site assignment— providing robust, “as-needed” assistance. In the Agency’s annual customer service survey, technical service providers in USAID’s Regional and Technical Pillar Bureaus received high marks from field staff for their readiness to support remote efforts. In August 2020, USAID deployed the Unified Technical Request and Mission Support (UTRAMS) system to all Agency staff. This collaborative online platform allows the Agency to efficiently request and track virtual and in-person technical assistance. It also supports capture of timely post-service delivery feedback from Missions about technical support, which can further inform future decision-making about providing services remotely. 4. Procurement and Supply Chains Description USAID will leverage its influence with the interagency, private sector, nongovernmental, and underserved community partners, as appropriate, to promote green procurement principles with an emphasis on climate resilience in the Acquisition & Assistance (A&A) lifecycle and on building capacity of local partners to adopt science-based, climate-smart policies and practices. USAID will also advance green procurement practices through supply-chain and commodities programming. USAID will review existing regulations, policies, and guidance and will update or expand materials, as appropriate, to enhance climate resilience, primarily in areas related to activity design. This will advance efforts to integrate climate considerations appropriately into procurement practices, account for climate risks, and align with requirements in FAR Part 23 and industry best practices, while accounting for operational realities. This action builds on current climate change considerations during the A&A lifecycle, such as considering climate change during activity design. https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-23 17 Goal Improve USAID’s business model to better align with climate resilience principles in the Agency’s A&A lifecycle from activity design to award management. Agency Lead USAID CSO with support from: ● Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) and Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO). ● Senior Accountable Official for Transparency & Accountability for Grants Management. ● The A&A workforce, including CO/AOs and C/AORs. ● The EXO workforce. ● The Bureaus for Policy, Planning, and Learning (PPL) and DDI, and other Bureau counterparts engaging in activity design. Risks and Opportunities Risk: If USAID does not adapt its activity design and procurement practices to promote climate-smart practices, then the Agency could experience supply-chain disruptions, risk noncompliance, and suffer reputational risk. Opportunity: If USAID adapts its activity design and procurement practices to promote climate-smart practices, then the Agency can enhance supply-chain resilience, expand positive climate impact, and serve as a model. Scale Global Timeframe In FY 2022, USAID will evaluate implementation of its A&A Strategy through the current stock taking exercise and Agency Learning Agenda study. Beginning in FY 2022, USAID will further incorporate the climate-smart practices identified below in the “Implementing Methods” into its procurement lifecycle. Implementing Methods To achieve this priority action, USAID will: Continue: ● Addressing climate change as an activity design consideration. ● Implementing existing procurement policies that integrate climate change considerations, including ADS Chapters 331, 302, and 201mal. ● Aligning USAID’s procurement practices with FAR Parts 23 and 52. ● Leveraging procurement-focused tools like GSA’s Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) and Framework for Managing Climate Risks in Federal Agency Supply Chains. ● Regular policy and guidance reviews. ● Communicating requirements from the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) to offerors. Explore: ● Leveraging USAID’s participation on the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC) and our work with the interagency to support new climate-related regulations and policies when introduced. ● Requiring an evaluation factor in Architect-Engineer (AE) services solicitations to rate the offeror’s experience using climate information to inform design (i.e., climate-resilient design, climate risk analysis, etc.).9 ● Building capacity of local partners to adopt science-based, climate-smart policies and practices. ● Updating and mandating the guidance in ADS 204sac on environmental compliance award terms. 9 For example, USAID’s global $800 million AE indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is currently in procurement. USAID will explore including a standard evaluation criterion for all Requests for Task Order Proposals (RFTOPs). https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/how-to-work-with-usaid/acquisition-and-assistance-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/selfreliance/self-reliance-learning-agenda https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/331.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/302 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mal https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-23 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR 52 223 https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement https://sftool.gov/plan/553/framework-managing-climate-risks-federal-agency-supply-chains https://sftool.gov/plan/553/framework-managing-climate-risks-federal-agency-supply-chains https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/environmental-compliance-esdm-program-cycle/environmental-documentation/initial-environmental-examination-iee/pdf https://www.usaid.gov/environmental-procedures/environmental-compliance-esdm-program-cycle/environmental-documentation/initial-environmental-examination-iee/pdf https://www.acquisition.gov/content/civilian-agency-acquisition-council-caac https://www.acquisition.gov/content/civilian-agency-acquisition-council-caac https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/204sac 18 ● Building the capacity of Agency applications and technologies to support a fully paperless acquisition process. Performance Metrics Potential qualitative metrics include: ● Completed analysis of options for working with the CAAC and Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) to update or develop new procurement based climate risk-management regulations and policies. ● Completed revisions to ADS chapters and policy guidance to address climate considerations. ● Completed research into requiring a “climate” evaluation factor in AE services solicitations for infrastructure and facilities design activities. ● Additional IT solutions identified and acquired to support paperless acquisition. Intergovern mental Coordination USAID will participate with other agencies and entities on this action, as appropriate, including GSA, CAAC, OFPP, and InterAction’s Climate Mainstreaming and Environmental Sustainability Working Groups. Resource Implications Executing this set of adaptation actions will require, at a minimum, the time of the USAID CSO, M/OAA leaders and staff, activity planners, and USAID climate and engineering experts. It may also require hiring additional personnel who have expertise in green procurement and personnel time from other USG agencies with which USAID interacts related to procurement, including GSA, the CAAC, and OFPP. The Agency will need funds to acquire IT solutions for paperless acquisition. USAID will achieve some of these actions within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. Challenges or Considerations Challenges to executing this set of actions include time and human resource costs, competing priorities, and current staffing constraints. E.O.s 14008 and 14030 appropriately place the climate-related rulemaking responsibility on the larger Agencies to ensure a whole-of-government approach. Rulemaking is a lengthy and time-consuming process, and the additional work duplicating that of the larger Agencies would not be a prudent use of already limited resources. USAID is not and will not be solely in control of some deliverables, as USAID is and will be engaging with USG partners on some actions. USAID will need to consider climate during the activity design phase and build climate considerations into the requirements documentation (e.g., Statement of Work [SOW], Statement of Objectives [SOO], Performance Work Statement [PWS], Program Description, and Architect-Engineer [A-E] designs [the drawings and specifications developed for construction]). Examples include programming that contributes to climate resilience (which USAID will cover in the Climate Strategy), requiring environmentally friendly supplies and services along with green building ratings and certifications, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). FAR Subpart 7.103(p)(1-4) requires that the Agency head ensure that agency planners specify needs and ensure contract compliance with federal environmental compliance. FAR 11.002(d)(1) requires agencies to consider sustainable acquisition, and (2)(i-iii) explicitly states that they must do so when describing requirements and developing source-selection factors. Highlights of Accomplish ments to Date USAID has a history of continuously improving its integration of climate change considerations into procurement policies and practices, through internal policies in the ADS. These policies and practices span the full scope of USAID’s business, from https://www.interaction.org/working-groups/#:%7E:text=The%20Environmental%20Sustainability%20Working%20Group,maintain%20organizational%20commitment%20to%20sustainability. https://www.interaction.org/working-groups/#:%7E:text=The%20Environmental%20Sustainability%20Working%20Group,maintain%20organizational%20commitment%20to%20sustainability. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/25/2021-11168/climate-related-financial-risk https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/design-excellence/sustainability/sustainable-design/leed-building-information https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/design-excellence/sustainability/sustainable-design/leed-building-information https://www.acquisition.gov/far/7.103 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/11.002 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/11.002 19 activity design to award management. USAID has also aligned the Agency’s procurement policies and practices with FAR Part 23 and leveraged GSA championed tools and best practices, including the GPC and Framework for Managing Climate Risks in Federal Agency Supply Chains, which USAID will continue to do. IV. Topic 1: Climate Vulnerability Assessment Climate change poses a fundamental threat to USAID’s ability to achieve its mission. While USAID cannot eliminate the risk climate change poses, USAID systematically manages climate risks and our forthcoming Climate Strategy will further enhance our ability to address climate change (see above). This section serves as a high-level assessment of the top climate change vulnerabilities related to the management functions and decision points on which USAID depends to achieve its mission, goals, and objectives. USAID identified the following vulnerabilities: Vulnerability 1: Real Property 1) Climate Threat and Expected Impact Climate variability and change will require buildings and other facilities to operate over a different range of weather and climatic conditions. Changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, storm surge, and extreme weather events could have a variety of significant bottom-line impacts on USAID real property, such as increased operating, maintenance, and repair costs; reduced facility and fleet longevity and value; the need to renovate or refurbish facilities to enhance resilience; eliminated or interrupted services; and increased health and safety concerns. For example, more frequent or more severe extreme events may increase deterioration or damage to building exteriors, office interiors, or equipment and vehicles. Higher temperatures and heat waves may raise internal cooling demands or building temperatures. More humid weather may affect buildings in warm-weather climates through increased mold or fungi. Increased precipitation (both average rainfall and the number of intense rainfall events) may lead to greater risk of flooding. If USAID does not act, its costs will increase, the value and longevity of its real property will decrease, and the Agency will likely experience service disruptions and increased risks to personnel wellbeing. 2) Adaptation Action and Barriers to Implementation USAID operates in more than 100 countries around the world and has a global asset portfolio of more than 90 buildings and more than 570 fleet vehicles. USAID’s buildings include 97 Missions, residential properties, and warehouses overseas and seven leased offices in the Washington, D.C., area. USAID directly owns a total of only 13 offices, warehouses, and training facilities. USAID considers climate variability and change when investing in new facilities, particularly when selecting sites, acquiring leases, and planning and completing renovations. USAID uses current industry methods and best practices, which address many of the risks associated with climate change. These include assessing flood risk and employing international construction standards for coastal areas that may experience enhanced winds and flooding. These standards address minimum design loads, flood-resistant construction, and resistance to increased wind speed and pressure. USAID works with DOS’ Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO) building code for co-located construction, adopting the principles of the International Construction Code with coastal area requirements. The Agency also strives to implement climate-smart practices in real property design, construction, and operation and follows enhanced security requirements that often have the co-benefit of increasing climate change resilience. For instance, by following LEED certification guidelines, USAID and DOS can maintain resource-efficient, high-performing, cost-effective buildings, which in turn are more adaptable to climate extremes. The following are some adaptation features USAID has implemented in its current https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-23 https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement https://sftool.gov/plan/553/framework-managing-climate-risks-federal-agency-supply-chains https://sftool.gov/plan/553/framework-managing-climate-risks-federal-agency-supply-chains https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/design-excellence/sustainability/sustainable-design/leed-building-information 20 property portfolio, in locations where such practices were logistically feasible: ● Installed shade devices and green or high-reflectance roofing materials to reduce heat island effects. ● Installed a rainwater collection system and permeable pavement to reduce runoff. The collected rainwater is used for irrigation and grey-water supply. ● Provided emergency generators to all sites to provide uninterrupted power sources. ● Installed solar panels to harness renewable energy and enhance resilience to energy grid disruptions. USAID assesses climate risks to its real property assets using various national and international data sources, including from the: ● National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), which provides data on hurricane and sea-level changes, drought, and extreme heat occurrences; ● Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides flood and earthquake hazard maps as well as regional wind zone maps; ● U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which provides a map of wildfire hazard potential; and ● American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which provides several data sets, including weather hazard zone maps and minimum design loads for buildings and other structures. For facilities it does not own, USAID depends on GSA and DOS for the rest of its space. For example, domestically, USAID operates primarily from buildings it leases from GSA; and overseas, approximately 85 percent of all USAID offices are leased or co-located on DOS property. USAID is bound by GSA or DOS operational policies, guidance, and procedures when leasing from GSA or DOS, or co-located with DOS, and does not have full operational control of those facilities. For instance, USAID has operating agreements with GSA that detail the financial responsibilities, regulations, and GSA operational guidance USAID must follow. GSA assesses climate vulnerabilities by examining Federal Acquisition Service and Public Building Service exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. To do so, GSA relies on U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) climate projection information. This approach is consistent with the capability-level analysis approach of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, which is currently used for extreme weather event situations. USAID relies on the expertise of GSA and other agencies to ensure the buildings USAID occupies have been properly vetted for climate vulnerabilities prior to signing long-term leases. For overseas facilities that USAID does not own, USAID is a tenant of the DOS/OBO, as required by the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act of 1999 (SECCA). Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Chapter 15, Section 112.2, which authorizes DOS/OBO to act as the single real property manager for all non-military real property overseas. 15 FAM 113.1 makes DOS/OBO responsible for establishing, implementing, and overseeing all policies and procedures that govern the real property program. As a result, USAID has little operational control over the domestic facilities the Agency leases from GSA and the overseas facilities where USAID is a tenant of or co-located with DOS. Because USAID is rarely the real property manager, USAID focuses on collaborating with GSA and DOS on climate change adaptation activities. As a GSA customer, USAID always works with GSA to implement climate change initiatives and will continue to do so to adopt and implement relevant adaptation strategies. For example, USAID is working with GSA to determine climate change protection levels to limit building exposure to climate change risk. USAID also coordinates closely with DOS, as USAID and DOS/OBO partner on sustainability initiatives, including through the Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI). USAID will continue to coordinate closely with GSA and DOS on climate-related facilities initiatives and adaptation planning and implementation in response to E.O. 14008. USAID’s vehicle fleet includes fewer than ten leased vehicles and more than 550 owned vehicles. The vehicles USAID owns are primarily located overseas, and a large number of them are managed jointly at post through the ICASS program, including by DOS and other agencies. USAID operates a small fleet of https://www.noaa.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/ https://www.fs.usda.gov/ https://www.asce.org/ https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/public-buildings-service https://www.globalchange.gov/ https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/exercises/hseep https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/exercises/hseep https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/679/text https://fam.state.gov/FAM/15FAM/15FAM0110.html https://fam.state.gov/FAM/15FAM/15FAM0110.html https://fam.state.gov/fam/15fam/15fam0110.html#M113 1 https://www.state.gov/sustainability-at-the-u-s-department-of-state/ https://www.state.gov/sustainability-at-the-u-s-department-of-state/ 21 vehicles domestically, which it leases from GSA. For these vehicles, USAID is subject to GSA’s Federal Management Regulation SubChapter B, “Personal Property,” Part 102-34, “Motor Vehicle Management” and follows USAID’s ADS 536, “Use and Control of Official Vehicles.” Because of the diverse, global locations of USAID’s Missions and the different challenges countries face, USAID cannot use the same approach or apply a single set of best practices in every location for the overseas vehicle fleet or overseas facilities. USAID anticipates other potential barriers to implementation to include dependencies on DOS and GSA to dedicate resources to coordinating with USAID and the inherent complexities of coordinating across agencies to consider updates to policies and guidance. 3) Timeline and Metrics In FY 2022, USAID will engage with GSA to identify and assess adaptation actions USAID could jointly support related to domestic leased facilities and vehicles, and with DOS to identify and assess adaptation actions USAID could jointly support related to overseas leased facilities and vehicles shared through the ICASS motor pool. Metrics include completed and ongoing engagements with GSA and DOS and analyses of potential adaptation actions to undertake in partnership with GSA and DOS. 4) Achievability USAID’s ability to achieve these actions depends on effective coordination with and engagement from GSA and DOS. USAID will be able to manage some aspects of this vulnerability within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 5) Incorporation into Annual Financial Reporting and ERM Process In FY 2021, USAID’s Bureau for Management (M Bureau) added to its risk profile a climate change risk related to real property management. Through its ERM process, USAID will continue to consider real property management climate-related risks. If appropriate, USAID will also disclose these vulnerabilities in its Annual Financial Report (AFR). Vulnerability 2: Procurement and Supply Chains 1) Climate Threat and Expected Impact USAID depends on a steady and reliable supply of products and services to maintain its programming and operations and achieve its mission. All climate threats to USAID’s supply chains have the same potential worst-case result: temporarily or permanently disrupting USAID’s ability to access certain goods and services necessary to maintain the Agency’s programming and operations and accomplish its mission. Specific climate threats include temperature and precipitation change, flooding, storm surge and sea-level rise, ground instability, and extreme wind and weather events. These threats could affect the availability of and increase the cost of goods along the value chain: from raw materials, to finished products, to the shipping and transportation systems that move products and services, to the delivery of products and services, including USAID’s delivery of humanitarian assistance. If USAID does not act, it will be vulnerable to greater supply-chain disruption risk and financial risk, and USAID will be less prepared to respond to supply-chain disruptions, which may result in programming disruptions and mission failure. 2) Adaptation Action and Barriers to Implementation USAID systematically manages and continuously monitors climate-related procurement and supply-chain vulnerabilities using a range of approaches. For instance, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) maintains or supports multiple tracking systems to reduce risks to the humanitarian assistance supply chain. Some examples include a hurricane emergency shipment tracker, a vessel tracking system called Marine Traffic, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system that is being improved for end-to-end visibility. USAID can use these tools to make near real-time assessments and decisions in the face of a climate emergency. In addition, BHA continuously monitors and identifies potential areas of need through end-to-end early warning https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-management-regulation-fmr/idtopicx2x16284#idconceptx2x16321 https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-management-regulation-fmr/idtopicx2x16284#idconceptx2x16321 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/536.pdf https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/wbscm https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/wbscm 22 systems based on the best available scientific forecasting and climate data from entities like NOAA, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS). BHA uses this information to coordinate with partners; pre-position relief supplies; and deploy staff and act early when disasters are predicted⁠—all to ensure timely assistance is available to affected communities. The Bureau for Global Health (GH) has also established a project-based risk-management plan for its supply chain, which GH uses to adaptively manage a variety of risks, including climate risk. USAID appreciates the importance of adaptation and resilience planning in the face of climate change related supply-chain vulnerabilities, in part, because of direct experience with disruptions. For example, during the unprecedented Houston, Texas, winter freeze in February 2021, BHA experienced disruptions, but benefitted from tracking tools and was able to identify affected cargo and assess increased testing needs. In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and their impacts, disrupted the manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs in Puerto Rico that GH depends on for its programming. The disruption caused program implementation delays of three to four months to global access to critical drugs for disease control and elimination. By better identifying and planning for climate-related supply-chain vulnerabilities, USAID intends to minimize the effects and costs of future disruptions by continuing to leverage its existing range of approaches while also exploring: ● Opportunities to incorporate climate-related procurement and supply-chain risks into its ERM process due to their mission-critical nature and to position the Agency to manage these vulnerabilities at the enterprise level. ● Conducting benefit-cost analyses to identify tradeoffs and inform decisions related to mitigating climate-related procurement and supply-chain risks. For example, USAID will need to determine how best to balance costs with supply-chain security (e.g., by buying locally; the additional cost of green technologies) and with stewardship of U.S. taxpayer dollars. ● Applying a circular economy lens to enhance the sustainability of our global supply chains, which could mitigate climate-related supply-chain disruption risk by more widely distributing the risk and improving resilience.10 ● Coordinating with the interagency to identify opportunities to further integrate climate considerations into federal procurement strategies and practices. ● Opportunities to further align with other Biden-Harris Administration priorities and requirements in multiple E.O.s, to include: E.O. 14001, A Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain; E.O. 14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers; EO 14017, America’s Supply Chains; and E.O. 14030, Climate-Related Financial Risk. USAID anticipates barriers to implementation to include concurrent and competing Agency policy and federal regulatory initiatives and priorities; a lack of a clear federal model and regulatory framework for climate-focused procurement; the time-intensive rulemaking process; and time and staffing constraints. 3) Timeline and Metrics USAID will continue systematically managing climate-related risks to its procurement and supply chains using its existing approaches while planning for and implementing during FY 2022 the adaptation actions identified above. Potential metrics for this set of actions include: completed analyses of opportunities to incorporate climate-related procurement and supply-chain risks into USAID’s ERM process; completed benefit-cost analyses to inform decisions related to mitigating risks while attaining maximum value; completed and ongoing engagement with the interagency to identify opportunities to further integrate climate considerations into federal procurement strategies and practices; and completed analyses of 10 Foresight (2013), The Future of Manufacturing: A new era of opportunity and challenge for the UK Summary Report, The Government Office for Science, London, as cited in Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019), Completing The Picture: How the Circular Economy Tackles Climate Change, v.3, 47. https://www.noaa.gov/ https://public.wmo.int/en https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/26/2021-01865/a-sustainable-public-health-supply-chain https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/28/2021-02038/ensuring-the-future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/28/2021-02038/ensuring-the-future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/01/2021-04280/americas-supply-chains https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/01/2021-04280/americas-supply-chains https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/25/2021-11168/climate-related-financial-risk https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/25/2021-11168/climate-related-financial-risk https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment data/file/255923/13-810-future-manufacturing-summary-report.pdf https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/Completing The Picture How The Circular Economy- Tackles Climate Change V3 26 September.pdf https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/Completing The Picture How The Circular Economy- Tackles Climate Change V3 26 September.pdf 23 opportunities to further align management of climate-related procurement and supply-chain risks with other Biden-Harris Administration priorities and requirements in various EOs. 4) Achievability USAID’s ability to achieve some of these actions depends, in part, on effective collaboration with the interagency and the development of a federal model and regulatory framework for climate-focused procurement and supply-chain management. The development of one such framework would likely be slow, given the time-intensive nature of the federal rulemaking process, and would not be within USAID’s control. USAID will be able to achieve some of the adaptation actions identified above that are internal to USAID within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 5) Incorporation into Annual Financial Reporting and ERM Process USAID will explore identifying and managing climate-related procurement and supply-chain risks via the Agency’s ERM process. If appropriate, USAID will also disclose these vulnerabilities in its AFR. Vulnerability 3: Infrastructure and Support Systems USAID’s mission delivery depends on a variety of infrastructure and support systems, including information and communications technology (ICT), transportation infrastructure, and utilities. ICT: ICT includes IT systems, infrastructure, and architecture. Key USAID ICT systems include: ● The Development Information Solution (DIS); ● International Data & Economic Analysis; ● Foreign Aid Explorer; ● Foreign Assistance Coordination and Tracking System (FACTS Info)—a joint system with DOS; ● The Global Acquisition and Assistance System (GLAAS); ● The Global Financial System, Phoenix; ● Worldwide telecommunications operations; ● Centralized network, server, and cybersecurity platforms in Washington, D.C., and overseas; and ● Small, automated information management systems. These systems are essential for USAID to coordinate its activities internally and externally, which includes communicating with Missions and partner countries and transferring funding for program activities. Without reliable ICT, communications and coordination could be disrupted, and Missions, programs, and partner countries could lose access to funding. Transportation Infrastructure: USAID’s operations rely heavily on international travel and transportation systems. USAID travel includes discretionary and nondiscretionary travel: to development sites and host countries; for training; in response to disasters; to post assignments; for home leave; for rest and recuperation; to provide technical assistance; for monitoring and evaluation; for stakeholder engagement; and for shipping equipment, humanitarian assistance, project materials, privately owned vehicles (POVs), and household effects (HHE). To facilitate this movement of people and goods, USAID relies on air transportation; ground transportation, including via roads and rail; and shipping. Utilities: USAID relies on energy, water, and sewage utilities to maintain day-to-day operations. The DOS manages these utilities in the large majority of Missions where USAID and State are co-located. 1) Climate Threat and Expected Impact ICT, transportation infrastructure, and utilities are vulnerable to a variety of climate change threats, including temperature and precipitation change, flooding, storm surge and sea-level rise, ground instability, and extreme wind and weather events. ICT: Below-ground infrastructure could be affected by flooding, sea-level rise, subsidence caused by https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/resources-for-partners/development-information-solution https://idea.usaid.gov/ https://foreignassistance.gov/consolidation https://data.usaid.gov/widgets/jgmi-vs6h https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/global-acquisition-and-assistance-system https://data.usaid.gov/Administration-and-Oversight/Phoenix-Financial-System/42qq-irfd 24 changes in precipitation, and damage to surface infrastructure, like roads. Above-ground infrastructure could be affected by changes in precipitation, extreme weather events, and ground instability. For example, wireless, radio, or satellite-based services could be affected by increasing temperatures and precipitation. In general, these climate change impacts could degrade infrastructure, reduce and disrupt service availability and quality, and change operating, maintenance, and customer support costs. Transportation Infrastructure: Increases in extreme weather can ground flights, damage infrastructure, and increase hazards due to debris. Extreme temperatures can expand and buckle railway tracks and bridge joints and overheat electrical systems. Flooding can wash out culverts and track supports; disrupt travel on roads, rail, and runways; and increase soil erosion and silt deposition. Conversely, declines in water levels can strand container ships and block major international transportation and shipping routes, as happened in March 2021 in the Suez Canal. In the longer term, sea-level rise can permanently inundate coastal transportation networks, rendering roads, airports, and ports unusable. These impacts already do and will continue to disrupt the transportation services on which USAID relies. If they go unaddressed, these impacts will affect USAID’s ability to operate, coordinate externally, and implement programs. Utilities: Climate changes could result in less reliable, more expensive utility services and affect clean energy development. Increasing temperatures could increase cooling needs, which could increase energy costs. Increases in energy demand and extreme weather events could increase the frequency, severity, and distribution of energy blackouts. Extreme temperatures, flooding, or drought could degrade water supply and quality. In areas with no increase in precipitation, increased temperatures will increase evaporation in potable surface and groundwater supplies. Sewage and water purification systems may be stressed by the degraded water quality resulting from storm surge, sea-level rise, and flooding. These impacts could result in utility service disruptions and higher service costs, both of which will affect USAID’s operations. 2) Adaptation Action and Barriers to Implementation Across USAID’s assets—domestic and overseas real property, equipment, and vehicles—the Agency depends on local ICT, transportation infrastructure, and utilities. USAID will continue to identify opportunities to increase resilience to its climate-related infrastructure and support-system vulnerabilities. For example, when USAID is investing in new facilities, the Agency can consider climate impacts to ICT, transportation infrastructure, and utilities while also considering climate impacts to the new facilities themselves. USAID’s country and region climate risk profiles and other resources can help identify context-specific climate risks and options for anticipating, preparing for, and adapting to current and future climate impacts. Adaptation options include expanding nature-based solutions to protect ICT, road, and utility infrastructure, strengthening water resources management, supporting climate-smart utilities, and using climate information to anticipate evolving climate risk. USAID will also collaborate with DOS to explore providing incentives to reduce the shipment of POVs and HHE around the world to reduce dependence on transportation infrastructure and achieve GHG emissions mitigation co-benefits. USAID anticipates barriers to implementation to include resource limitations such as time and staffing constraints, technical capacity limitations, competing priorities, and the complexities of coordinating with other USG agencies. 3) Timeline and Metrics These are ongoing actions that USAID will continue implementing, including by mainstreaming nature based solutions into USAID programming to mitigate climate threats to the infrastructure and support systems on which USAID depends globally. 4) Achievability USAID will continue to manage this vulnerability within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 25 5) Incorporation into Annual Financial Reporting and ERM Process USAID will explore identifying and managing infrastructure and support systems-related climate risks via the Agency’s ERM process. If appropriate, USAID will also disclose these vulnerabilities in its AFR. Vulnerability 4: Health and Safety USAID’s workforce, including contractors, is fundamental to successfully delivering on USAID’s mission. About 70 percent of USAID’s workforce is stationed overseas. In 2020 and 2021, USAID has responded to the global COVID-19 pandemic in myriad ways to protect its workers and address the humanitarian challenges and secondary development impacts the pandemic has generated and exacerbated. USAID has learned valuable lessons from its response to COVID-19, which the Agency continues to use to protect all of its workers’ health and safety. 1) Climate Threat and Expected Impact Climate changes may threaten workers’ health and safety in numerous ways. Flooding and extreme weather events affect worker safety, whether workers are teleworking, working from the office, or commuting. Severe weather events can be life-threatening. In addition, changing disease patterns could compromise workers’ health in some locations, particularly in locations with poor health services. For example, increasing numbers of USAID staff overseas may be exposed to malaria and need to use anti malarial drugs. Increasing temperatures could increase demand for energy for cooling buildings, which could cause energy outages and, ultimately, unsafe physical office conditions. Worsening conditions in overseas locations could require USAID to increase the number or dollar amount of “difficult-to-staff incentives.” 2) Adaptation Action and Barriers to Implementation USAID uses a range of approaches to systematically manage climate-related threats to its workforce’s health and safety. For example, USAID ensures personnel have access to immunizations needed to protect them from a variety of infectious diseases based on disease incidence data in their duty stations. In addition, USAID’s GH Bureau invests heavily in strengthening immunization systems and combating infectious diseases around the world, because in an increasingly interconnected world, a health threat anywhere is a threat everywhere. For example, to better understand and prepare for climate change impacts on health systems, PMI is investing in regional case trend analyses and modeling climate data. These models may be used to predict malaria outbreaks and changes in malaria distribution and seasonality. USAID will continue combating infectious diseases globally while also providing immunizations to employees as disease patterns change due to climate change-related factors. USAID also considers employee health and safety in official policy for building management. For example, ADS 529 contains the policies and procedures for USAID’s domestic Occupational Safety and Health Program, while USAID adheres to 15 FAM 960 in overseas facilities USAID leases from or in which USAID is co-located with DOS. These occupational health and safety policies govern and include procedures for ensuring physical workplace conditions, including those that could be adversely affected by climate change, remain safe for employees. As described above, USAID is exploring expanding the use of telework and remote-work flexibilities to enhance its workforce’s climate readiness and to help ensure COOP. USAID will also explore opportunities to further identify and address climate-related health and safety vulnerabilities. USAID will always prioritize the health and safety of its workforce despite competing priorities and limited resources. 3) Timeline and Metrics USAID will continue systematically managing climate-related health and safety risks using its existing approaches while planning for and implementing the adaptation actions identified above during FY 2022. Metrics include a completed plan for expanding telework and remote-work flexibilities and a completed https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/529 https://fam.state.gov/fam/15fam/15fam0960.html 26 analysis of opportunities to further identify and address climate-related health and safety vulnerabilities. 4) Achievability USAID will continue to manage this vulnerability within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 5) Incorporation into Annual Financial Reporting and ERM Process USAID will explore identifying and managing health and safety-related climate risks via the Agency’s ERM process. If appropriate, USAID will also disclose these vulnerabilities in its AFR. Vulnerability 5: Security 1) Climate Threat and Expected Impact Stability and physical security are tantamount to USAID’s operations both domestically and overseas. Climate threats include prolonged drought, increases in flooding, extreme weather events, and extreme temperatures. Climate change could aggravate the conditions for civil unrest in USAID partner countries, jeopardizing the continuity and effectiveness of some USAID operations and assets. Climate change could also reduce or alter distribution of already limited resources, like food and water, or force temporary or permanent human migration. These situations can exacerbate existing inequalities and create unsafe situations, especially if disasters lead to government service disruptions, which have an outsized, adverse impact on marginalized populations. These or similar security threats could require USAID to implement additional security measures and contingency plans, including for USAID facilities and staff. 2) Adaptation Action and Barriers to Implementation USAID partners with Missions and U.S. Embassies to contribute to peace and stability through programs, funding, and technical services that focus on social, communal, and political aspects of crises and political transition. USAID will continue to respond to complex crises and opportunities to support countries to sustain self-reliance. In FY 2021 USAID increased its programming and employs a coordinated, unified approach in supporting the USG response to mitigating and addressing the root causes of irregular migration from the Northern Triangle countries. USAID has an Agency-level COOP Program and regularly participates in COOP exercises. USAID’s COOP Program is based on FEMA’s Federal Continuity Directive 1 (FCD-1), which applies to all levels of Executive Branch agencies, including regional and field locations. Due to USAID’s unique relationship with DOS, while COOP awareness is shared across USAID, overseas Missions follow DOS guidance for emergencies or issues that require evacuation. USAID’s devolution site is overseas, and Missions play an integral role during a devolution event. USAID has Occupant Emergency Plans (OEPs), which include procedures for evacuating buildings, sheltering in place to safeguard lives and property, and developing, maintaining, exercising, and testing COOP communication requirements. OEPs also identify and protect records that are essential to operations and assign responsibility for those records to specific personnel. Inclement weather, fire, localized power outages, and localized telecommunications outages are common events that would lead USAID to activate an OEP. These types of events are generally short-term in nature, may be weather related, and may occur more frequently as the climate changes. In addition, to ensure our implementing partners are also prepared and ready to respond, USAID has implemented a policy for partner liaison security offices in high-threat countries. USAID leverages flexible work environments and increased opportunities for staff telework, in accordance with the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 and Agency policy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, USAID has required staff to telework. Telework and alternate work locations allow USAID to respond to emergencies, like extreme weather events, with minimal or no disruption to critical operations. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/531.pdf https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-source/accessibility-privacy-coop-files/January2017FCD1-2.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/524.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/573 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/573 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/573 https://www.congress.gov/111/plaws/publ292/PLAW-111publ292.pdf 27 USAID will continue to: contribute to peace and stability through programs, funding, and technical services; respond to complex crises and opportunities to support countries to sustain self-reliance; and mitigate and address the root causes of irregular migration from the Northern Triangle countries. USAID will also continue to strengthen its COOP program and has begun a readiness assessment to ensure the Agency and staff are always ready to respond to crises. USAID anticipates resource constraints, including time and staff limitations, to be barriers to implementation. 3) Timeline and Metrics These are ongoing actions that USAID will continue implementing and that include peace, conflict management, and stabilization projects and activities that have programmatic metrics reported in the Annual Performance Report (APR). USAID’s efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration from Northern Triangle countries also include metrics the Northern Triangle Task Force owns and on which it reports. 4) Achievability USAID will continue to manage this vulnerability within the Agency’s existing resources and the FY 2022 President’s Budget. 5) Incorporation into Annual Financial Reporting and ERM Process USAID will explore identifying and managing security-related climate risks via the Agency’s ERM process. If appropriate, USAID will also disclose these vulnerabilities in its AFR. V. Topic 2: Enhancing the Climate Literacy of USAID’s Management Workforce A climate-literate management workforce is essential to USAID’s mission support and ability to integrate resilience into management operations. USAID recognizes that climate change training and capacity building is an ongoing need as climate science and knowledge advance, staff change, and as climate change-informed knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary across management job functions. As described in the Ensuring a Climate-Ready Workforce priority adaptation action section, to ensure USAID’s workforce is climate literate and climate ready, including management, in FY 2022, USAID will develop a climate staffing plan focused on 1) putting in place sufficient climate change staffing at the right levels; 2) ensuring employees have the climate change-related training, knowledge, and skills they need; and 3) ensuring that employees are incentivized to integrate climate change considerations into their job functions. In addition, USAID is committed to advancing climate and environmental equity and justice and will ensure all employees understand the importance of equity and justice. USAID’s climate literacy efforts will be customized to the various program and management job functions, and the Agency will ensure all management operations employees have at least a basic understanding of climate change adaptation and resilience, with access to additional training, as appropriate, depending on their specific role and needs. USAID plans to begin these efforts in FY 2022 and complete these actions by the end of FY 2023. VI. Topic 3: Agency Actions to Enhance Climate Resilience A. Actions for Climate-Ready Sites and Facilities USAID is committed to reducing vulnerabilities and increasing resilience by proactively preparing its sites, facilities, and other assets for readiness and resilience in the face of a changing climate. USAID has taken myriad steps to integrate climate considerations and adaptation planning into policy, operations, and programs to improve climate resilience of sites, facilities, and other assets. Sites and Facilities As described in the Vulnerability Assessment section, USAID has a global footprint of more than 100 https://www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/progress-data/annual-performance-report https://www.usaid.gov/results-and-data/progress-data/annual-performance-report 28 facilities, a vast majority of which USAID leases from GSA or DOS, or in which USAID is co-located with DOS, but does not have any operational control. For these facilities, USAID follows GSA and DOS policies and works closely with those agencies on adaptation and resilience planning and implementation, which is informed by U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) climate projection information and climate data from Climate.gov. For owned properties for which USAID has full operational control, USAID will continue to implement and adhere to its governing real property policies in ADS 517, “Washington Real Property Acquisition and Management,” and ADS 528, “Energy Management and Planning Program for USAID Buildings.” USAID develops and implements an annual sustainability plan to evaluate and prioritize mitigation actions, such as reducing energy and water consumption. USAID also considers climate change when investing in new facilities, particularly when selecting sites, acquiring leases, and planning and completing renovations. USAID uses current industry methods and best practices, which address many of the risks associated with climate change. As previously stated, USAID will also need to consider climate during the activity design phase and build climate considerations into requirements documentation (e.g., in AE design specifications). Examples include requiring environmentally friendly supplies and services along with green building ratings and certifications, such as LEED. USAID adheres to FAR Subpart 7.103(p)(1-4), which requires agency planners to specify needs and ensure contract compliance with federal environmental compliance. USAID also adheres to FAR 11.002(d)(1), which requires agencies to consider sustainable acquisition, and (2)(i iii), which explicitly states that they must do so when describing requirements and developing source selection factors. USAID is also committed to considering climate justice and equity when making new sites and facilities investments and ensuring its investments do not contribute to maladaptation. Continuity of Operations Through its COOP Program, which includes policies and procedures related to telework and alternate work locations, USAID has robustly planned and prepared for the COOP of its mission-critical functions and operational assets. Mission-critical functions include those that USAID completes in support of its own business operations, such as many of the functions performed by the Management Bureau. Mission critical assets include buildings, vehicles, equipment, and people who provide critical services. Digital Records One component of climate-ready sites and facilities is effective record keeping. To ensure USAID records are secure and managed appropriately, USAID has implemented a multipronged, strategic approach, which has included implementing the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) Common Baseline Implementation Plan, v2. USAID adopted the Google Suite, moved data centers and applications to public and private clouds, and is now fully cloud-based with no legacy systems.11 In addition, USAID is developing and implementing the DIS, an Agency-wide portfolio management system designed to capture one cohesive development story—from strategy to results. DIS enables USAID staff and IPs to perform a broad range of business operations, reporting, and planning tasks in one place and from any location with internet access. Through these actions, USAID not only increased its climate resilience, but also improved employee collaboration and productivity, as well as enterprise data management and quality. B. Actions to Ensure a Climate-Ready Supply of Products and Services USAID depends on a climate-ready supply of products and services to perform mission-essential activities. The following are five of the most critical or priority supplies and services that may be vulnerable to climate change: 11 USAID earned a B grade overall on the FITARA 11.0 scorecard published in December 2020. As one component of USAID’s overall grade, USAID earned an A for the “Data Center Optimization Initiative” indicator. https://www.globalchange.gov/ https://www.climate.gov/ https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/517 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/500/528 https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/design-excellence/sustainability/sustainable-design/leed-building-information https://www.acquisition.gov/far/7.103 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/11.002 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/11.002 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/11.002 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/531.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-management https://www.usaid.gov/digitalstrategy/fitara-implementation-plan https://www.usaid.gov/digitalstrategy/fitara-implementation-plan https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/resources-for-partners/development-information-solution https://fitara.meritalk.com/assets/pdf/scorecard-11-methodology.pdf 29 1. Food Aid: BHA is the U.S. government’s largest provider of overseas food assistance as part of its mandate to provide multi-sectoral lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the world’s most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach people. It provides both emergency food assistance and development food assistance under Title II of the Food for Peace Act. 2. Medical Supplies: GH manages USAID’s global health programs. Its offices cover the spectrum of international health issues, from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and PMI; to prevention, mitigation, and control of infectious diseases; to maternal and child health and nutrition, family planning, and reproductive health. 3. Infrastructure: DDI, through its Center for Environment, Energy, and Infrastructure (EEI), provides infrastructure and facilities design expertise and assistance to USAID program offices during program design involving infrastructure, construction, or environmental considerations, and whenever additional expertise in these areas is needed. Planners may also consult USAID’s Green Infrastructure Resource Guide. 4. Packing and Shipping Supplies: M/MS provides administrative and logistical support services to USAID offices in Washington and overseas to ensure increased operational efficiency. Because the Agency has personnel and programs around the world, shipping services are a large expense for USAID when accounting for moving household goods, vehicles, and equipment purchases.12 5. Travel and Transportation Services: M/MS oversees and supports USAID’s travel and transportation programs for USAID personnel to and from the Missions around the world. This includes managing the travel of USAID personnel and transporting their HHE and POVs. M/MS follows USAID and USG transportation and travel regulations and policies. As described in the Procurement and Supply Chains vulnerability section, BHA uses several sources of climate data and other tools to not only monitor areas of potential need, pre-position supplies, and rapidly deploy staff, but also reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities and increase resilience. For example: BHA uses USDA’s WBSCM system to make real-time assessments and decisions, enabling USAID to identify alternate and higher-value sources of food aid; and BHA uses a hurricane emergency shipment tracker for end-to-end visibility. GH also addresses supply-chain risk through a project-based risk-management plan, which it uses to assess and adaptively manage a variety of risks, including climate risk. Operationally, USAID procures most of its supplies with purchase cards through the GSA Global Supply program, a priority wholesale supply source identified in FAR 8.002. Existing USAID policy in ADS 331 and ADS 331maa emphasize the sustainable acquisition policies in FAR Part 23 that promote a clean energy economy, safeguard the health of our environment, and reduce GHG emissions. USAID will explore developing additional guidance and better communicating existing guidance to card holders to further highlight the importance of purchasing sustainable products. This work will include further links to resources like GSA’s GPC. In addition, USAID policy in ADS 302, “USAID Direct Contracting,” requires OUs to include in solicitations the results of the climate risk assessment required by ADS 201mal, “Climate Risk Management for USAID Projects and Activities.” Further, ADS 201mal requires the climate risk assessment to be documented in the environmental compliance analysis, which is often included in solicitations. USAID will explore further guidance to staff about including related clauses in solicitations. 12 As stated in the Infrastructure and Support Systems climate vulnerability section, USAID will collaborate with DOS to explore providing incentives to reduce the shipment of POVs and HHE around the world to reduce dependence on transportation infrastructure and achieve GHG emissions mitigation co-benefits. https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-humanitarian-assistance https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-global-health https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-development-democracy-innovation https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf docs/PA00TDBD.pdf https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf docs/PA00TDBD.pdf https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/wbscm https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/requisition-programs/gsa-global-supply https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-8#FAR 8 002 https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/331.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/331maa https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-23 https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/302 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/200/201mal