WRI focuses on the intersection of the environment and socio-economic development. We go beyond research to put ideas into action, working globally with governments, business, and civil society to build transformative solutions that protect the earth and improve people’s lives.
Solutions to Urgent Environmental Challenges
WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth, promote development, and advance social equity because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs today, and fulfilling human aspirations tomorrow.
Practical Strategies for Change
WRI spurs progress by providing practical strategies for change and effective tools to implement them. We measure our success in the form of new policies, products, and practices that shift the ways governments work, businesses operate, and people act.
Global Action
We operate globally because today’s problems know no boundaries. We are avid communicators because people everywhere are inspired by ideas, empowered by knowledge, and moved to change by greater understanding. We provide innovative paths to a sustainable planet through work that is accurate, fair, and independent.
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Our Mission & Goals
Our mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
We organize our work around four key programmatic goals:
Climate Protection
Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change.
Governance
Empower people and strengthen institutions to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable decision-making.
Markets & Enterprise
Harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
People & Ecosystems
Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
A fifth goal—Institutional excellence—supports and enhances WRI’s ability to achieve results. Read more about excellence in WRI’s publications >>>
Our History
WRI was launched June 3, 1982 as a center for policy research and analysis addressed to global resource and environmental issues. Read more - En Español
