Performance Goal Statement: By September 30, 2015, U.S. bilateral assistance under Low Emission
Development Strategies (LEDS) will reach at least 25 countries and will result in the achievement of at least 45 major individual country milestones, each reflecting a significant, measureable improvement in a country’s development or implementation of LEDS. Also by the end of 2015, at least 1,200 additional developing country government officials and practitioners will strengthen their LEDS capacity through participation in the LEDS Global Partnership and that capacity will be meaningfully applied in at least 25 countries.
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Performance Goal Overview
The focus of this Performance Goal is to enable economic growth together with significant reductions in national emissions trajectories through 2020 and the longer term by supporting the development and implementation of LEDS. Specifically, this Goal measures the progress of EC-LEDS and the multilateral LEDS GP. Through EC-LEDS, a multiagency U.S. government team is working with partner countries to identify and advance effective
economy-wide LEDS. The LEDS Global partnership is a multilateral platform, founded by the State Department, for enhanced coordination, information exchange, and cooperation among countries and international programs working to advance low emission, climate resilient growth. Low-emission, climate-resilient sustainable
economic growth is highlighted as a U.S. diplomatic and development priority in the U.S. National Security Strategy, the President’s development policy, the President’s Climate Action Plan, and the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.
Performance Goal Progress Update
Key Indicator: Number of officials and practitioners with strengthened capacity and knowledge through participation in the LEDS Global Partnership
The Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) Global Partnership was founded to advance climate-resilient low emission development through coordination, information exchange, and cooperation among programs and countries working to advance low emissions growth. The partnership's regional platforms, work streams, and working groups provide focused ways to more deeply investigate and improve understanding of low emission development at different geographic, topical and sectoral levels. It is through participation in these regional workshops and thematic working groups that the capacity of practitioners and official is strengthened in order to advance climate-resilient low emission development within their institutions and countries.
For this indicator, results regularly exceeded the quarterly targets for officials and practitioners. Capacity building under the LEDS Global Partnership continues to exceed expectations and surpass targets. Some quarters experienced a higher than average number of activities, workshops, and webinars which resulted in a number of officials and practitioners that exceeded the expected target value. The cumulative total far exceeds the target value due to past quarter performances.
* The measurement and methodology for this indicator will change for FY16-17 Agency Priority Goal to include counting only developing country officials and practitioners.
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Indicator Methodology
This indicator represents countries in which the U.S. Government has provided one or more days of U.S.-funded technical assistance related to the agreed work program or one or more person-hours of training related to the agreed work program. “Initiation of U.S. technical assistance for EC-LEDS” is defined as one or both of the following: 1) one or more days of U.S.-funded technical assistance in climate change provided to counterparts or stakeholders to support an activity identified in the EC-LEDS Agreed Work Program, or 2) one or more person hours of training completed on areas identified in the EC-LEDS Agreed Work Program.
Key Indicator: Number of major milestones achieved by partner countries as a result of U.S. assistance, each reflecting significant, measurable improvement in national frameworks for low emission development
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017
Target 10 30 42 57
Result 9 30
Indicator Analysis
Effective LEDS are a vital tool for combating climate change. A LEDS is a strategic economic development and environmental planning framework that supports a country’s development and economic growth objectives while reducing the growth rate of long-term greenhouse gas emissions; it should be based on sound analytical foundations and articulate concrete actions, policies, programs and implementation plans. Through the Global Climate Change Initiative, the U.S. Government is actively supporting partner countries' efforts to both develop and implement LEDS.
This indicator measures the extent to which partner countries are making significant, measurable progress in developing or improving their LEDS. A "major milestone" might involve conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, establishing an emissions reduction target, or some other event, output, or outcome that
fundamentally improves the ability of a partner country to identify, prioritize, and/or act on emissions reduction opportunities.
USAID and the Department of State worked closely with each partner country team to determine achievable and ambitious targets for their program. The U.S. Government team contributed to the achievement of 31 major milestones in LEDS development, exceeding the target by one. This was due to achieving unexpected results not captured in the original target setting process.
Indicator Methodology
In the context of this indicator, a “major milestone” is defined as the establishment, adoption or significant improvement of a country’s overall LEDS or one or more essential components. Essential components include but are not limited to: plans, prioritized near-term actions, greenhouse gas inventory systems, analytical tools, and policy or regulatory frameworks. To be considered a "major milestone," the event, output, or outcome
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must be significant in the context of the individual country. Final responsibility for determining whether an event, output, or outcome reported by the country teams constitutes a “major milestone” rests with the Goal managers.
Key Indicator: Number of major milestones achieved by partner countries as a result of U.S. assistance, each reflecting significant, measurable improvement in LEDS implementation
FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017
Target 4 15 27 43
Result 6 16
Indicator Analysis
This indicator measures the extent to which partner countries are making significant, measurable progress in implementing their LEDS. Specifically, a "major milestone" in this context is adopting a law or regulation, meeting a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, or other event, output, or outcome that (a) shows a partner country is achieving significant progress in implementing its LEDS and (b) results in, or is expected to result in, significant emissions reductions.
USAID and the Department of State worked closely with each LEDS country team to determine achievable and ambitious targets for their program. Results exceeded the end-year target and achieved 16 major milestones in LEDS implementation. For example, as a result of U.S. assistance, Philippines mobilized more than $120 million in private sector investments for clean energy and Indonesia developed and implemented Strategic
Environmental Assessments for 11 districts resulting in the reduction of four million metric tons of CO2.
Indicator Methodology
In the context of this indicator, improvements that may be considered “major” include but are not limited to:
(1) significant measured GHG reductions from “business as usual” scenarios; (2) finance leveraged and/or funds established for mitigation actions; (3) significant additional clean energy generation capacity installed; and (4) country-level renewable energy targets met. To be considered a "major milestone," this impact must be significant in the context of the individual country. Final responsibility for determining whether an event, output, or outcome reported by a country team constitutes a “major milestone” will rest with the Goal Managers.
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Strategic Goal 3: Promote the Transition to a Low Emission, Climate- Resilient World while Expanding Global Access to Sustainable Energy
Key Indicator: Number of countries in which U.S. government technical assistance for LEDS has been initiated FY 2012 FY 2013
Baseline FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017
Target 7 20 25 25 26 26
Result 9 22 25 26
Indicator Analysis
The Department of State is no longer using this indicator, so it will be flat-lined for the next two years.
Indicator Methodology
This indicator represents countries in which the U.S. Government has provided one or more days of U.S.
Government-funded technical assistance related to the agreed work program or one or more person-hours of training related to the agreed work program. “Initiation of U.S. Government technical assistance for EC-LEDS” is defined as one or both of the following: 1) one or more days of U.S. Government funded technical assistance in climate change provided to counterparts or stakeholders to support an activity identified in the EC-LEDS Agreed Work Program, or 2) one or more person hours of training completed on areas identified in the EC-LEDS Agreed Work Program.
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