Additional Context: This information is based on 150 semi-structured interviews conducted by One Earth Partners across five countries selected to represent the diversity of USAID's environmental work. Interview findings were triangulated with a global survey of 175 respondents and external media analysis.

According to survey respondents, the U.S. government had served as a protective shield and stamp of approval that gave validity to projects by local actors, often helping accelerate legislative reforms. The loss of this power has, for example, stalled the implementation of responsibility-sharing agreements on climate projects between the government of Bangladesh and development partners, as well as threaten the continuity of projects that heavily involved local communities in environmental conservation efforts, according to One Earth Partners.

Devex Researcher Note: While the authors of the report do not identify the program specifically, USAID worked with local communities and the Government of Bangladesh as part of the Protibesh program launched in 2022. This program was terminated according to a leaked memo from March 2025.

Source: One Earth Partners (Full report forthcoming).