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Beyond innovation and finance: Reviewing 25 years of United States climate change adaptation foreign aid objectives across 117 projects
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DOI：10.1080/17565529.2026.2681023.png)
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Abstract
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The United States was the world’s third-largest donor of climate change aid and the largest donor of foreign aid prior to 2025. As a major carbon emitter and donor, the U.S. has long been central to international climate change initiatives. However, details about U.S. climate aid are scattered and often difficult to interpret. This paper explores how the U.S. federal government structures its overseas climate change aid through a descriptive and thematic analysis of stated aims and objectives of 117 projects funded over a 25-year period (2000-2024), focusing on climate change adaptation. Using official government data, it investigates which forms and types of climate adaptation receive support, particularly in such areas as drought resilience, coastal protection, early warning systems, and climate-resilient agriculture, as well as the countries and institutions which are the main recipients of U.S. climate-related assistance. The analysis considers a range of adaptation-related interventions – from mangrove regeneration and erosion control to climate-resilient irrigation and glacial flood prevention. It goes beyond analysing only budgets, donors and implementation partners to evaluate project objectives and approaches, as well as the four thematic areas of gender, equity and justice, education, and displacement. By examining these themes, the study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of U.S. climate aid priorities and the evolving architecture of its international climate finance. It offers a descriptive thematic mapping of the stated aims, adaptation types, and cross-cutting priorities of 117 well-documented U.S. government-funded adaptation projects identified through official government data.
Keywords:
Climate change adaptation
official development assistance
overseas development aid
foreign aid
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
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