The LIFT-UP programme, through CARE USA and six country offices, aims to scale up the impact of CARE's advocacy efforts for more effective and adequately resourced US-government international development programmes and policies on climate change, food security, and maternal health. Research in Ecuador and Peru is focused specifically on climate change programmes and policy.

As one example, CARE Ecuador is conducting LIFT-UP research on the extent to which land tenure and equitable sharing of benefits have led to positive social and environmental outcomes for poor and forest-dependent communities engaged in common property resource management. These two topics are also part of the REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards initiative undertaken by CARE Ecuador and the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA). (REDD is Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation.)

The LIFT-UP research will also contribute to CARE's advocacy on REDD social standards and safeguards with the US government as well as in the UNFCCC negotiations. The programme is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and by CARE USA.