WRI established its U.S. office in 1982. We work to improve water quality, increase awareness of local climate change impacts, and identify cost-effective emissions-reduction opportunities in the United States. Learn more about our work in the United States.
As coastal communities across the United States continue to fall victim to drought, coastal flooding, and other impacts of extreme weather and climate change, leaders at the metropolitan and federal levels are beginning to take action. Yet, Congressional action is an essential but missing piece to comprehensively addressing climate change.
However, Florida's continuing sea-level rise vulnerability suggests Congress may shift its attention to climate impacts.
Despite inaction by Congress, the Obama Administration is acting on several fronts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
This fact sheet outlines the steps the Administration has taken to reduce GHG emissions, with more important rules expected soon.
In advance of the 2014 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, the World Resources Institute analyzed the extent to which economic, social, and environmental sustainability are embedded in the design of World Bank projects.
The Obama Administration today announced a Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions as part of the U.S. Climate Action Plan. This is an important step toward meeting the U.S. commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.
As California lawmakers move forward with potential solutions to the state’s current water shortage, it’s important to consider the full context of underlying reasons for California’s water vulnerability.
Our research shows that about 66 percent of the state’s irrigated agriculture—its biggest water user—faces extremely high levels of baseline water stress. This means that more than 80 percent of the available water supply is already being used by farms, homes, businesses, and energy producers. It’s clear that even without drought, the state would be in trouble.
The White House recently unveiled a new Climate Data Initiative. The initiative creates an online hub of government data on climate impacts, providing a detailed look at how a warmer world may impact critical infrastructure like bridges, roads, and canals. The platform provides a key tool for helping those at the frontlines of climate change—local communities.
As China pursues shale gas exploration and development, it could draw some lessons—both positive and negative—from the experience in the United States. Indeed, it is in both countries’ interest that their businesses and governments collaborate to ensure that when and where shale gas is developed, it is done responsibly.
In order to pursue shale gas development responsibly, three issues are emerging as potential hotspots for U.S.-China collaboration—environmentally smart development, energy security, and economy.
This issue brief identifies the major types of uncertainties in water quality trading markets and summarizes the various mechanisms that could be used to address them.
The U.S. currently finds itself in the midst of an energy boom, driven by technological advances in the extraction of oil and natural gas. Our domestic energy resources, and the self-sufficiency they can bring, are the envy of much of the world. Yet we must also weigh the consequences of our...
Last week, President Obama directed his administration to set new fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including large pick-up trucks, school buses, and tractors. Improving fuel efficiency standards from these vehicles—which make up 20 percent of U.S. transport emissions—can not only rein in emissions, it can help consumers save money at the gas pump.