The challenge

Climate change mitigation projects are designed to reduce the build-up of harmful greenhouse gasses in the earth's atmosphere – especially carbon dioxide. Two mitigation approaches designed to reduce or sequester emissions include how land is used and managed, and the application of sustainable carbon-friendly energy sources.

In these areas, the main challenge is how to develop sustainable programmes and projects that both support and benefit poor people in their mitigation efforts. This will take innovative carbon finance initiatives such as payments to households and farmers for ecosystem services mechanisms or the provision of energy technologies like improved cook-stoves or solar lighting.

CARE's response

CARE is addressing mitigation efforts through its promotion of multiple-benefit, carbon-finance projects that simultaneously reduce greenhouse gases, reduce poverty and help conserve critical ecosystems. It is working in three carbon finance areas:

Agriculture, Forestry and other Land-Use (AFoLU) initiatives focused on building more resilient livelihoods through better natural resource management