Four Chinese cities are pursuing systems that turn "sludge," the organic matter left over from treated sewage, into energy. The systems can reduce emissions, energy consumption and water pollution all while saving money.
air quality
Trees improve city dwellers' quality of life by reducing smog, preventing erosion, supporting wildlife and sheltering buildings from heat and cold. On International Day of Forests, Sarah Weber looks at how Tokyo, Belfast and Washington, D.C. have integrated trees into their urban landscapes.
How can rickshaws, which account for 20 percent of motorized trips in some Indian cities, be made to work more reliably? There's an app for that.
Solving the challenges of air and water pollution will require more than the adoption of top-down solutions or greener technology. It will require countries to address key governance challenges, like inaccessible information and a lack of public participation.
Large trucks and airplanes account for about one-third of total U.S. transportation emissions. WRI analysis shows that setting strong efficiency standards for these sectors could deliver at least 6 percent of the total reductions the United States needs to meet its goal of reducing total emissions by 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.
Indonesia's parliament recently approved an agreement to reduce haze pollution from land and forest fires.
Ratification of the law—originally signed 12 years ago—comes not a moment too soon: Fires are currently flaring across southern Sumatra and West and Central Kalimantan, jeopardizing Indonesia’s forests and the communities and wildlife that call these regions home.
City leaders will have a key role at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York City, which brings together heads of state, mayors, business leaders and civil society representatives to work toward an international agenda to tackle climate change and build resilience.
To help city leaders shift to a planning paradigm that creates more compact neighborhoods and sustainable cities, EMBARQ has released a Transit-oriented Development Guide for Urban Communities.
The guide combines best practices from existing communities and design guidelines for creating healthy, sustainable, people-oriented cities.
Earlier this month, WRI launched its “Stories to Watch in 2014.”
All years are important, but decisions made in 2014 will have a striking impact for decades to come. Here are seven potential game-changers: