The WRI Home Page

http://www.wri.org
With an average of more than 260,000 users every month, WRI’s website and related subdomains serve as a clearinghouse of data, research, and policy ideas. Organized by research topic, the website is easy to navigate, highly structured, and attractive. The site provides high quality, reliable information and helps to promote the Institute’s reputation as an international, independent, science-based organization. As a clearinghouse, WRI’s website invites exploration by providing information on projects, partners, publications, personnel, news releases, success stories, multimedia resources, and a host of other material. There is no cost for accessing or downloading information from WRI’s website and content is provided in multiple languages whenever possible. User feedback—encouraged throughout the site through email links, surveys, and comment forms—is captured for analysis and response. A search engine also offers users the opportunity to find information resources by keyword, ISBN number, year, or author. A secure server allows supporters of the Institute’s work to make donations online that help WRI turn ideas into action.

EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal

http://earthtrends.wri.org/
The EarthTrends site provides a searchable database, data tables, country profiles, maps, and stories on the environmental, social, and economic trends that shape our world. Tracking more than 600 variables on 200 countries, the database is updated periodically using the latest information from over 40 internationally recognized sources. Searchable data and information are organized into 10 topic areas—coastal and marine; freshwater; climate and atmosphere; population and health; economics and business; energy and resources; biodiversity and protected areas; agriculture and food; forests, grasslands, and drylands; and environmental governance and institutions. All information is documented and links provided to original sources. In an effort to broaden global access to sustainable development information, ET has developed a low-bandwidth companion at: http://earthtrends.wri.org/text.

The Access Initiative

http://www.accessinitiative.org
The Access Initiative is a global coalition of civil society groups, convened by WRI and partners, working to promote national-level implementation of access to information, participation, and justice in decisions affecting the environment. The number of countries participating in TAI is expanding and is expected to reach 30 by 2009. The site lists the countries, their assessments of access to information at national level, and provides information tools with which to develop indicators for monitoring access. Country assessments are available for Chile, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States.

BELL and China BELL

http://bell.wri.org http://www.chinaeol.net/bell/
BELL (Business-Environment Learning and Leadership) works closely with researchers and educators at leading business schools in North America, Latin America, and Asia to provide them with the tools they need to effectively educate and train the next generation of leaders in sustainable enterprise. The BELL site contains a web-based annotated guide to environment and business teaching cases, a newsletter, and business and environment case studies. A database of business school course syllabi from leading faculty incorporating these cases is available in Chinese from the China BELL site.

Beyond Grey Pinstripes: Preparing MBAs for Social and Environmental Stewardship

http://BeyondGreyPinstripes.org
Beyond Grey Pinstripes is a biennial report published by WRI in partnership with the Aspen Institute. The website provides profiles of more than 100 MBA programs in colleges and universities in the United States that have been rated by the integration of sustainability into their programs. The site provides information that helps prospective students find the right MBA program for their needs, helps employers identify which schools offer training they want their employees to have, and helps innovative practices spread among schools. Not only is this website an information dissemination tool, it is an information collection tool—prior to each new edition schools are directed to complete the survey online, making data collection, analysis, and dissemination more efficient.

Climate Analysis and Indicators (CAIT)

http://cait.wri.org
The CAIT project provides access to information and analysis tools for the development of global climate change policy. CAIT provides the most comprehensive and complete database of greenhouse gas emissions available—including all major sources and sinks—for 185 countries plus regions. Its database includes all major greenhouse gases and sectors, incorporating the official inventories submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). CAIT analyzes current emissions, historical trends, and future projections, and can produce results in a variety of graphical and tabular formats. It is being used to analyze a wide range of climate-related issues, supports future policy decisions made under the Climate Convention and other forums, and informs emerging discussions on vulnerability and adaptive capacity.

Digital Dividends

http://www.digitaldividend.org
The Digital Dividends project identifies, documents, and disseminates innovative ways of meeting the needs of poor communities through both private sector strategies and bottom-up development approaches. It offers a Digital Dividend Clearinghouse that identifies groups working to bridge the digital divide, a Resource Marketplace that contains an extensive list of sources for possible funding, free computers and software, Web development assistance, and almost any other resource dealing with the needs of the digitally poor. The site also contains What Works Case Studies, the Digital Dividend Digest – a biweekly e-mail newsletter, and numerous publications.

Global Forest Watch

http://www.globalforestwatch.org
Global Forest Watch is an international partnership of nongovernmental organizations, research institutes, governments, and private corporations. GFW uses remote sensing and other information technologies to map and monitor the condition of priority forests and works to get this information into the hands of decision-makers at local, national, and international levels. The site contains publications, a data warehouse, and interactive mapping tools. For example, users can create their own maps online for Central Africa, Canada, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

http://www.ghgprotocol.org
Convened by WRI and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the GHG Protocol Initiative develops internationally accepted accounting and reporting standards for greenhouse gas emissions through a multi-stakeholder process. The GHG Protocol Initiative has split the development of standards into two components: the corporate and the project modules. The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (first and revised editions) is posted on the website, the Project Accounting Standard will be available in late 2005. The site also provides 16 free calculation tools for companies developing a GHG inventory. Both sector-specific tools, e.g., pulp and paper, iron and steel, and cement; and cross-sector tools, e.g., stationary combustion, and uncertainty tools, are available. The site contains a list of companies, governments, and other organizations using the Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and its related tools. A quarterly newsletter is also available on the website.

Green Power Market Development Group (GPMDG)

http://www.thegreenpowergroup.org
Convened by WRI, the GPMDG is a unique commercial and industrial partnership dedicated to building corporate markets for green power. The Group is advancing a clean energy future by developing 1,000 megawatts of cost-competitive green power by 2010. The site provides information on the types, costs, and amounts of green power purchased by the GPMDG on a year by year basis. The site also contains a marketplace, descriptions of green power technologies, and the Green Power Analysis Tool for estimating costs and environmental characteristics of green power projects.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

http://www.maweb.org
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is a four-year international program designed to meet the needs of decision-makers for scientific information on the condition of ecosystems and the linkages between ecosystem change and human well-being. During 2005, four technical volumes aimed at specialists will be published, along with six synthesis reports that are intended for various audiences. All of these reports will be available in the MA online document library. This library also includes information about the MA framework in English, Czech, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Arabic; conference proceedings; and related outreach materials, including articles and newsletters. Over the next two years, more than 30 sub-global studies will be completed and the reports will also be posted on the website. The site will become an important source for ecosystem maps and data through a partnership with the United States Geological Survey and UNEP-WCMC.

New Ventures

http://new-ventures.org
New Ventures is a business accelerator that works toward the long-term sustainable use of natural resources. It employs market-driven solutions that focus on supporting environmentally and socially responsible enterprises in emerging economies. The site contains materials from Investor Forums and other services provided by the project; opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs, and students; and descriptions of successful New Venture enterprises. The site also leads one to a list of potential investors and those who certify the quality of products and services.