Topic: north america

RELEASE: WRI Names David Waskow to Lead Its International Climate Initiative

Daniel Melling — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:02:19 -0400

The World Resources Institute (WRI) announced today that David Waskow has joined the institute to lead its International Climate Initiative, within the Climate and Energy Program. Waskow will oversee the Institute’s work to advance ambitious national actions to reduce emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. This includes working toward a strong, equitable, and effective global climate agreement within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Waskow will also lead WRI’s efforts to enhance international cooperation and catalyze national policies toward low-carbon pathways and increased climate resilience.

“David brings a breadth of knowledge and experience that will be extremely valuable in advancing international climate action,” said Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute. “The next few years are a critical window to raise global ambition and cooperation on climate change. David’s insights and leadership will be a boon to our efforts to advance solutions that the world needs.”

Among these efforts is the Climate Justice Dialogue, a partnership led by WRI and the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, which provides a forum to discuss equity and develop ideas on how to operationalize climate actions in a way that safeguards environmental integrity, protects the most vulnerable populations, and creates the basis for greater cooperation among countries.

Waskow joins WRI from Oxfam America, where as the program director for climate change he worked to advance strategies to drive investment and capacity of poor and vulnerable communities to respond to a changing climate. He also directed policy work focusing on how emissions can be reduced in equitable ways and how to build resilience to climate impacts.

Prior to Oxfam, Waskow served as the international program director for Friends of the Earth, where he initiated their work on the impacts of climate change on global poverty. In addition, he oversaw the organization’s work on trade policy and international financial institutions.

“With global emissions on the rise and climate impacts becoming more apparent, this is an important moment to make progress on the climate crisis. Looking toward an international climate agreement by 2015, there’s much work to do,” said Waskow. “I am excited to join WRI, with its reputation as one of the most respected and influential organizations in this arena, and I look forward to working with my new colleagues to help raise ambition around international climate action.”

Waskow has testified before Congress on responses to climate change and on trade issues, and is a frequent go-to source for the media on climate finance. He has graduate degrees from the University of Chicago and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and an undergraduate degree from Brown University.

WRI’s Climate and Energy Program is comprised of more than 50 staff, who are dedicated to conducting and facilitating independent, non-partisan research and analysis to advance effective domestic and international actions that reduce the threat of climate change.

RELEASE: Cutting Food Loss and Waste Will Benefit People and the Environment, Says New Study on World Environment Day

Michael Oko — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:44:29 -0400

From Australia to Afghanistan, New Research Spotlights Low-Cost Actions for Delivering Major Benefits for Development, Environment and Livelihoods

One out of every four calories produced by the global agricultural system is being lost or wasted, according to new analysis. This situation poses a serious challenge to the world’s ability to reduce hunger and meet the food needs of the rapidly-expanding global population.

Released on World Environment Day (WED), which this year carries the theme “Think.Eat.Save - Reduce Your Foodprint,” the new working paper, Reducing Food Loss and Waste, shows that more than half of the food lost and wasted in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia occurs close to the fork—at the consumption stage. By contrast, in developing countries, about two-thirds of the food lost and wasted occurs close to the farm—after harvest and storage.

Reducing Food Loss and Waste was produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and draws on research from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The paper makes a range of recommendations, including the development of a food loss and waste protocol―a global standard for how to measure, monitor, and report food loss and waste. If what gets measured gets managed, then such a protocol could go a long way toward helping governments and companies implement targeted efforts to reduce food loss and waste.

“Beyond all the environmental benefits, reducing food loss and waste will save money for people and companies,” said Craig Hanson, Director of WRI’s People & Ecosystems Program and a co-author of the study. “The world needs urgent solutions to feed its growing population and reducing loss and waste is a critical piece toward a more sustainable food future.”

According to the study, which was released today in Mongolia, the global host of WED 2013, the world will need about 60 percent more food calories in 2050 compared to 2006 if global demand continues on its current trajectory. Halving current rates of food loss and waste, say the authors, would reduce this gap by a fifth. This would also result in major savings in water use, energy, pesticides and fertilizers, and would be a boost for global food security.

“It is an extraordinary fact that in the 21st century, close to 25 per cent of all the calories linked with growing and producing food are lost or wasted between the farm and the fork—food that could feed the hungry, food that has required energy, water and soils in a world of increasing natural resource scarcities and environmental concerns including climate change,” said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director.

“Yet within the challenge of food are the seeds of a more cooperative and sustainable future—in short, it is an issue that unites everyone today and generations to come. The menu of case studies and recommendations in this study provide national and community-led solutions that ally smart policies with traditional knowledge, modern science and common sense,” he added.

“Everyone—from farmers and food companies to retailers, shipping lines, packagers, hotels, restaurants and households—has a role to play, and, in doing so, can contribute to maximizing the opportunities of the Millennium Development Goals, eradicating inequalities in rich and poor countries alike, and laying the foundation of a more environmentally sustainable pathway for billions of people,” said Mr. Steiner.

From community food banks in Australia to the use of metal grain silos by farmers in Afghanistan, the WRI and UNEP study showcases simple, low-cost solutions for reducing food loss and waste that are already delivering significant environmental and economic benefits to communities around the globe. Replicating and expanding these initiatives could significantly reduce the 1.3 billion tons of food lost or discarded worldwide each year, and make major improvements to global resource efficiency.

The report shows, for example, that water used to produce lost or wasted food globally each year could fill 70 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, while the amount of cropland used to produce wasted food is equivalent to the size of Mexico. Some 28 million tons of fertilizer are used annually to grow this lost and wasted food. The inefficient use of fertilizers is linked to the growth of “dead” coastal zones around the globe and to climate change.

Separate analysis coordinated by the FAO to be published soon indicates that if food loss and waste were a country, it would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases after the United States and China.

Case studies highlighted in the report include:

United States: To reduce portion sizes and therefore the amount of food thrown away each day in their cafeterias, some universities have discontinued the use of trays and introduced “pay by weight” schemes and other incentives. One university found that after going “trayless,” it discarded almost 13 metric tons less food than in previous years, and conserved over 100,000 litres of water annually. Financial savings amounted to US $79,000 per year.

Afghanistan: Insufficient storage can be a major source of food loss for farmers in developing countries, where structures often do not keep produce in airtight conditions. A FAO project in Afghanistan provided metal silos to 18,000 rural households. Recipients of the silos soon reported higher net incomes due to lower food losses, which decreased from 15 to 20 percent to 1 to 2 percent per year.

Sri Lanka: Introducing studier plastic crates to replace bags or sacks previously used to transport food reduced vegetable losses by weight from 30 percent to 5 percent. A similar project in the Philippines using plastic crates increased the value of a kilogram of fruit and vegetables by 16 per cent.

Australia: The non-profit organization SecondBite collects food from farmers, retailers, and other donors and distributes it to community groups in need. Last year, SecondBite reused and redirected 3,000 tons of fresh food that would otherwise have been discarded.

Nigeria: The “zeer” evaporative cooler system, developed by a teacher in Nigeria, can preserve fruit and vegetables without refrigeration. The system costs less than US $2.00 and can hold up to 12 kilograms of produce. Tomatoes and guavas, which would last around two days without storage, last up to 20 days in a zeer.

The paper contains a number of more general recommendations, including:

Developing a common global standard for measuring and reporting food loss and waste by governments and the private sector;
Setting global, national, and corporate food loss and waste reduction targets on the order of 50 percent;
Doubling investment in reducing post-harvest losses in developing countries; and
Establishing agencies and organizations in developed countries tasked with reducing food waste.

In addition, UNEP is developing a food waste prevention and reduction tool kit with FAO and WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), together with experts, supermarkets, governments and other partners. The initiative will support governments, companies and cities to better assess their own levels of food waste, pinpoint areas in their businesses and communities where food is being needlessly wasted, and devise strategies to reduce this waste. The tool kit is expected to be available for widespread deployment before the end of 2013, and aims to underpin a transition to a less wasteful world.

World Environment Day
From the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities in remote rural areas, to major conferences in the fast-expanding capital Ulaanbaatar, issues around food security and sustainability are featured high on the agenda for World Environment Day (on 5 June) in the global host country Mongolia.

Events with the country’s ancient herding communities highlighted age-old techniques that have been used for centuries to preserve food and avoid waste. In the past, Mongolia’s traditional horsemen frequently relied on “borts” to sustain them over long journeys. The foodstuff consists of concentrated beef equal to the protein of an entire cow condensed and ground down to the size of a plate. This method of food preservation could produce a meal equivalent to several steaks when the protein was shaved into hot water to make soup.

In the run-up to World Environment Day, internet users have been submitting a host of traditional food-saving ideas and traditions via UNEP’s Facebook page. These include chuño from South America, which involves exposing potatoes to the freezing night air and hot daytime sun for five days, before trampling them to squeeze out any moisture. Chuño can last for several months, or even years.

Beyond Mongolia, thousands of people around the world are taking part in World Environment Day activities to highlight the need to consume and produce food more sustainably.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the capital city Sarajevo will host environmental experts in a series of events focused on engaging citizens on food waste and its environmental impact.

In China, Shanghai’s International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) hundreds of students will debate and discuss the theme of “Food, Health and Sustainable Development.”

UNEP’s Geneva-based Regional Office for Europe is running a competition called “Love Your Leftovers,” where people can submit a recipe that they use to clean out the fridge. The competition will be judged by a top chef at the famous Cafe de la Paix in central Paris.

About World Environment Day (WED)
WED aims to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place year round but climax on 5 June. WED celebrations began in 1972 and have grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. The WED 2013 theme is in support on the Think.Eat.Save campaign. For more information on activities in the host country Mongolia, and on hundreds of other global events, visit the WED site at: www.unep.org/wed/

About the Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint campaign
The campaign harnesses the expertise of organizations such as FAO, WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), Feeding the 5,000 and other partners, including national governments, who have considerable experience targeting and changing wasteful practices. It aims to accelerate action and provide a global vision and information-sharing portal for the many initiatives currently underway around the world that aim to reduce food waste and food loss. Visit: www.thinkeatsave.org More examples of traditional techniques to preserve food and reduce waste are available here.

UNEP’s Resource Efficiency website is available here.

Notes to Editors: The new working paper Reducing Food Loss and Waste, is available at: www.wri.org and www.unep.org.

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Read a blog post on the new paper, here.

Coming Soon: Global Forest Watch 2.0

James Anderson — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:03:32 -0500

Welcome to the home of Global Forest Watch 2.0, a powerful near real-time forest monitoring system that unites satellite technology, data sharing, and human networks around the world to fight deforestation.

GFW 2.0 is currently under development, and will launch in late 2013.

Read more below, and email gfw2@wri.org to participate in the pilot testing period or be notified when GFW 2.0 launches. Please note that as we prepare for the launch, the original Global Forest Watch website has been redirected to this page.

Watch a Short Preview of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the UN Forum on Forests 10, in Istanbul.

Watch the full version here

Speakers:

Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Forestry, Indonesia
Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute

Photo by David Gilbert

WHY FORESTS, WHY NOW?

Forests provide food jobs, raw materials, climate benefits and more. But without clear, up-to-date information, governments, companies and communities lack the tools to monitor and manage these resources.

We can track a company’s financial information daily, but information about forests is often years out of date.

Deforestation continues today in part because by the time satellite images are available, analyzed, and shared, the forest clearing is long done. The illegal loggers have moved on; cattle are already grazing amidst stumps; the oil palm plantation has been established. We simply find out too late.

New technologies can overcome these challenges

Fortunately, a convergence of technologies and human networks offers the ability to address these challenges for the first time:

Advances in satellite and remote sensing technology, including the launch of NASA’s Landsat 8 in early 2013, and new private systems, enable higher spatial resolution analysis and much more rapid updates of information. This has enabled the development of near-real-time forest cover change detection.
Brazilian partner IMAZON, is making its Amazon Alert System available through GFW 2.0, and also the DETER system which is innovating in detection of forest degradation. Brazil has seen a remarkable drop in deforestation in the Amazon of almost 80 percent partly due to improved linked to more effective use of satellite imagery.
Cloud computing and open source software can now be used to rapidly process and interpret large volumes of satellite data at low cost by utilizing clusters of servers scattered around the world. Google Earth Engine’s team is partnered with Global Forest Watch 2.0 to optimize easy access to cloud computing-based forest cover information.
High speed internet connectivity enables sending data and forest maps processed in North America, Europe, or Singapore to laptops and mobile phones in Jakarta, Kinshasa, Lima, Vladivostok, and other corners of the globe.
Smartphones are more common than ever and can be used by anyone in the field to download maps and satellite images, as well as upload GPS coordinates and photographs from the ground.
Crowdsourcing using simple web interfaces can empower thousands if not millions of people to gather and share information, participate in forest monitoring, and hold decision-makers accountable. • Social media outlets are creating a flat, networked world in which information travels fast, communities self-organize, and people get mobilized.

ABOUT GLOBAL FOREST WATCH 2.0

These enhanced technologies and social movements are the foundation for Global Forest Watch 2.0. GFW 2.0 will unite a near-real-time deforestation alert system, complementary satellite imagery and monitoring systems, WRI’s data-rich collection of maps, mobile technology, and a networked world to create never-before-possible transparency for faraway forests.

The platform is currently under development, and will be launched in late 2013.

This powerful new platform will enable responsible companies, NGOs, the media, and progressive government leaders to hold those responsible accountable for forest management.

GFW 2.0 can be useful to multiple groups of users involved with the sustainable management of forests:

Buyers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will enable buyers of sustainably sourced commodities―such as certified timber, palm oil, soya, and beef―to confirm adherence to or violations of supplier commitments to “no deforestation,” “no clearing of high conservation value forest,” and related criteria.
Suppliers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will help suppliers of sustainable commodities prove to buyers, investors, governments, and NGOs that their commodities are adhering to best forest management practices, national laws, criteria of the relevant commodity roundtables, or investor lending conditions.
Governments. GFW 2.0 is designed to help progressive elements in governments better enforce sustainable forest management and forest protection laws. GFW 2.0 is also designed to be a trusted, independent, and user-friendly way to help investors in REDD+ and other forest conservation projects monitor performance and hold countries accountable to their commitments on greenhouse gas emission reductions and forest conservation.
Conservation and community organizations. GFW 2.0 will enable NGOs dedicated to forest conservation, indigenous rights, and forest communities to identify deforestation hotspots as they arise and quickly mobilize action to curtail further clearing.
The media. GFW 2.0 will enable local, national, and international media to ring the alarm bell on deforestation hotspots around the globe at a pace never-before-possible, and thereby put pressure on governments, companies, and others to curtail forest conversion and illegal logging in time

Applying new technology

GFW 2.0 combines satellites, new algorithms, cloud computing, mobile phone technologies, and WRI databases to connect images, maps, photos, and data with forest clearing alerts ultimately within two weeks of significant deforestation occurring.

Because GFW 2.0 will be powered by Google Earth Engine and Earth Builder, it will bring to target users a seamless experience of the best technology offered by WRI, Google, and their partners, as Bloomberg does for the world’s vast, complex array of financial information.

Mobilizing human networks

GFW 2.0 will mobilize networks of people to ensure sustainable management of forests and greater forest conservation. Global Forest Watch “anchor” NGOs in each priority country or region, will actively use and contribute content in an open-source, network model.

These groups will include ScanEx and its non-profit affiliate Transparent World in Russia, Imazon in Brazil and their Amazon-wide network of partners across the seven neighboring countries, the Observatoire Satellital des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (OSFAC) which covers the Central Africa region. More partners in Canada, China, Europe, and the United States are joining every day.

Watch a Sneak Peek of GFW 2.0 presented at Rio+20

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Carlos Souza Jr., Senior Researcher, IMAZON
Charles Barber, Forest Division Chief, Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State
Rebecca Moore, Google
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch UNEP’s press conference featuring GFW 2.0 at COP18 in Doha

Speakers:

Mr. Heru Prasetyo, Deputy I, Presidential Delivery Unit on Development Monitoring and Oversight, Government of Indonesia
Tim Christophersen, Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Jane Feehan, Natural Resources Specialist, European Investment Bank
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch a Sneak Peek of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the U.S. Pavilion, COP18 in Doha

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Nigel Sizer, Director, Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute
Nirarta “Koni” Samadhi, Head of REDD+ Task Force Working Group on Moratorium Monitoring, Presidential Work Unit on Monitoring and Development Oversight (UKP4), Government of Indonesia
Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, Director, International Climate and Forest Initiative, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, Government of Norway
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Read more about WRI’s forest work here.

COP 18: Doha

Kevin Lustig — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:09:59 -0400

WRI Experts at COP 18

WRI Events at COP 18

COP 18 Commentary

From November 26 to December 7, 2012, the United Nations will host the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Qatar.

WRI experts will be in attendance at this latest meeting under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help inform the talks. Here, you can find a variety of materials from the World Resources Institute that shed light on key areas of international climate policy.

WRI Resources for COP 18

Open Climate Network Analysis

Kevin Lustig — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:16:37 -0400

Use the list to the right to explore available analysis from the Open Climate Network »

PRESS RELEASE: 75% of World’s Coral Reefs Currently Under Threat, New Analysis Finds

Michael Oko — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:55:53 -0500

“Reefs at Risk Revisited” report presents comprehensive analysis of threats to coral reefs

A new comprehensive analysis finds that 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. For the first time, the analysis includes threats from climate change, including warming seas and rising ocean acidification. The report shows that local pressures— such as overfishing, coastal development, and pollution— pose the most immediate and direct risks, threatening more than 60 percent of coral reefs today.

“Reefs at Risk Revisited,” the most detailed assessment of threats to coral reefs ever undertaken, is being released by the World Resources Institute with the Nature Conservancy, the WorldFish Center, the International Coral Reef Action Network, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, along with a network of more than 25 organizations. Launch activities are taking place in Washington, D.C., London, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Australia, and other locations around the world.

“This report serves as a wake-up call for policy-makers, business leaders, ocean managers, and others about the urgent need for greater protection for coral reefs,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “As the report makes clear, local and global threats, including climate change, are already having significant impacts on coral reefs, putting the future of these beautiful and valuable ecosystems at risk.”

Local pressures – especially overfishing and destructive fishing – are causing many reefs to be degraded. Global pressures are leading to coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification from carbon dioxide pollution. According to the new analysis, if left unchecked, more than 90 percent of reefs will be threatened by 2030 and nearly all reefs will be at risk by 2050.

“Coral reefs are valuable resources for millions of people worldwide. Despite the dire situation for many reefs, there is reason for hope,” said Lauretta Burke, senior associate at WRI and a lead author of the report. “Reefs are resilient, and by reducing the local pressures we can buy time as we find global solutions to preserve reefs for future generations.”

The report includes multiple recommendations to better protect and manage reefs, including through marine protected areas. The analysis shows that more than one-quarter of reefs are already encompassed in a range of parks and reserves, more than any other marine habitat. However, only six percent of reefs are in protected areas that are effectively managed.

“Well managed marine protected areas are one of the best tools to safeguard reefs,” said Mark Spalding, senior marine scientist at the Nature Conservancy and a lead author of the report. “At their core, reefs are about people as well as nature: ensuring stable food supplies, promoting recovery from coral bleaching, and acting as a magnet for tourist dollars. We need apply the knowledge we have to shore up existing protected areas, as well as to designate new sites where threats are highest, such as the populous hearts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, East Africa and the Middle East.”

Reefs offer multiple benefits to people and the economy – providing food, sustaining livelihoods, supporting tourism, protecting coasts, and even helping to prevent disease. According the report, more than 275 million people live in the direct vicinity (30 km/18 miles) of coral reefs. In more than 100 countries and territories, coral reefs protect 150,000 km (over 93,000 miles) of shorelines, helping defend coastal communities and infrastructure against storms and erosion.

For the first time, the report identifies the 27 nations most socially and economically vulnerable to coral reef degradation and loss. Among these, the nine most vulnerable countries are: Haiti, Grenada, Philippines, Comoros, Vanuatu, Tanzania, Kiribati, Fiji, and Indonesia.

“The people at greatest risk are those who depend heavily on threatened reefs, and who have limited capacity to adapt to the loss of the valuable resources and services reefs provide,” said Allison Perry, project scientist at the WorldFish Center and a lead author. “For highly vulnerable nations – including many island nations – there is a pressing need for development efforts to reduce dependence on reefs and build adaptive capacity, in addition to protecting reefs from threats.”

The report is an update of “Reefs at Risk,” released by WRI in 1998, which served as an important resource for policymakers to understand and address the threats of reefs. The new report uses the latest data and satellite information to map coral reefs— including a reef map with a resolution 64 times higher than the original report.

“Through new technology and improved data, this study provides valuable tools and information for decision makers from national leaders to local marine managers,” said Katie Reytar, research associate at WRI and a lead author. “In order to maximize the benefits of these tools, we need policymakers to commit to greater action to address the growing threats to coral reefs.”

Find out more at: www.wri.org/reefs

# # # #

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. (www.wri.org)

The Nature Conservancy(TNC) is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than one million members have protected more than 480,000 sq km of land and engage in more than100 marine conservation projects. The Conservancy is actively working on coral reef conservation in 24 countries, including the Caribbean and the Coral Triangle. (www.nature.org)

WorldFish Center is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture. Working in partnership with a wide range of agencies and research institutions, WorldFish carries out research to improve small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. Its work on coral reefs includes ReefBase, the global information system on coral reefs. (www.worldfishcenter.org)

International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) is a global network of coral reef science and conservation organizations working together and with local stakeholders to improve the management of coral reef ecosystems. ICRAN facilitates the exchange and replication of good practices in coral reef management throughout the world’s major coral reef regions. (www.icran.org)

United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is an internationally recognized center for the synthesis, analysis, and dissemination of global biodiversity knowledge. UNEP-WCMC provides authoritative, strategic, and timely information on critical marine and coastal habitats for conventions, countries, organizations, and companies to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. (www.unep-wcmc.org)

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational unit of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) charged with coordinating research and monitoring of coral reefs. The network, with many partners, reports on ecological and socioeconomic monitoring and produces Status of Coral Reefs of the World reports covering more than 80 countries and states. (www.gcrmn.org)

NEWS RELEASE: Independent Global Network Launched to Track Countries' Climate Change Progress

Jessica Forres — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:58:01 -0500

Open Climate Network (OCN), a global network that will track countries’ progress toward cutting emissions and providing climate finance, was launched this week at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in Cancun, Mexico. Led by the World Resources Institute (WRI), OCN convenes independent research institutes around the world to provide consistent and peer-reviewed information on major economies’ actions on climate change.

“Major economies have made high-level commitments to tackle climate change, but it has been difficult to access information about their progress that is consistent and trusted at the international level,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the Climate and Energy Program at WRI. “OCN fills this gap by tapping the world’s leading research institutes to develop a highly credible source of information about countries’ progress.”

The network is expected to complement official reporting systems – an ongoing source of tension in the UNFCCC negotiations – by improving consistency for key topics, such as climate financing, and drawing on national experts to shed light on what is working, what isn’t, and why.

“Understanding where others are going is absolutely vital – that mutual trust is fundamental,” said Lord Nicholas Stern, speaking at the OCN launch on December 4. “What is happening under the OCN will complement the official line,” he continued, referring to the national communications and inventories prepared under the UNFCCC.

OCN is now developing a consistent framework for tracking progress on mitigation and financing. “Getting the metrics right is the first step,” said Taryn Fransen, who manages OCN at WRI. “By tracking the right information, we’ll not only be able to monitor progress, but also help stakeholders design more effective policies.” The network will then develop national profiles and implement an extensive review process before publishing the first assessments in late 2011.

To date, OCN partners include Australia’s Climate Institute, Canada’s Pembina Institute, China’s Renmin and Tsinghua Universities, Denmark’s CONCITO, France’s Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), Germany’s Oeko Institute (which will also provide information on the European Union), India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Japan’s Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Mexico’s Mario Molina Center, and Norway’s Zero Emission Resource Organisation. WRI will serve as the Secretariat and the point organization for the United States, and is exploring additional partnerships in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and elsewhere.

For more information about Open Climate Network, please visit http://www.wri.org/project/open-climate-network.

NEWS RELEASE: New Greenhouse Gas Protocol Accounting Standards Available for Public Comment

Jessica Forres — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:08:40 -0400

WRI and WBCSD unveil new Product and Supply Chain Standards

Comprehensive global standards that will help business and government understand, measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have entered the final stage and are available for public comment.

These new standards, developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), will help measure the emissions of supply chains and products.

The two standards— the Product Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard— supplement the existing Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, which has become the global framework for GHG reporting by companies. The new standards are part of a multi-stakeholder 12-year partnership, the GHG Protocol Initiative, led by WRI and WBCSD to provide real-world solutions to help reduce emissions.

“The business community is taking action to reduce their emissions by finding innovative and cost-effective solutions. The original GHG Protocol Corporate Standard helped businesses understand the impacts of their own operations,” said Björn Stigson, president of the WBCSD. “These two new standards give businesses the tools they need to understand the emissions across the entire life cycle of their products and through their value chains, and manage it accordingly.”

The GHG Protocol Product Standard studies all potential contributions to the emissions of a product, including suppliers, transportation, production and disposal, while the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard allows corporations to measure and manage their GHG emissions across their entire supply chain.

“Throughout the process, we are engaging with a wide-range of stakeholders to ensure that these standards are of the highest quality, user-friendly and practical for businesses,” said Jonathan Lash, president of WRI. “These standards will provide an essential resource for businesses so they can track, measure and control their emissions.”

The two standards have already undergone significant input, review, comment and testing over the last two years. A unique feature of the development process is the “road testing” of the new standards. Sixty-two companies from a variety of countries and sectors tested the standards over a six month period and submitted comprehensive feedback on their usability.

The companies involved in the road testing reported that they were able to complete an inventory in conformance with the requirements and found the guidance provided in the standards helpful and practical. Summaries of this feedback are available here. In addition, more than 60 organizations submitted written comments and 350 stakeholders from business, academia, governments, and NGOs attended workshops in Asia, Europe and North America, since the release of the first drafts in November 2009.

Björn Hannappel, Senior Expert Go Green, of Deutsche Post DHL said, “We are very pleased to be engaged in this process as a road testing company of the Product Life Cycle and Scope 3 Standards. We support the inclusive GHG Protocol stakeholder process and feel that by engaging with not only business- but also governments, NGOs and others- a more robust standard is developed that can be adopted around the world. This is key for us as a globally operating company, since we already base our carbon accounting on criteria according to the GHG Protocol and rely on respective standards that are accepted and applicable worldwide.”

This public comment period is the final step in the development process and will be used to make additional revisions. The new standards are expected to be finalized early next year and published in the spring of 2011.

Copies of the standards and comment submittal instructions are available on the GHG Protocol Initiative’s website.

WRI’s Jonathan Lash to Brief Journalists on Environmental “Stories to Watch” for 2010

Paul Mackie — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:42:50 -0500

WHAT: For the seventh straight year, Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, will hold a briefing for journalists to preview key environmental issues to watch this year.

WHEN: Thursday, January 7, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EST
Presentation and Q-and-A Session
(Continental Breakfast will be served at 9 a.m.)

WHERE: National Press Club
First Amendment Room
529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20045
(Metro: Red, Orange and Blue Lines to Metro Center)

WHO: Jonathan Lash, president, World Resources Institute

WHY: Will the Copenhagen Accord be implemented and, if so, how? With the help of the “London Challenge” and other initiatives, how much is the long-neglected potential for forest restoration beginning to change? Are SEC laws relating to climate change likely to be enforced due to the financial crisis? What options do the EPA and Congress have for reducing CO2, and who will provide federal leadership? What environmental and political factors will come into play as China focuses on implementing its 40 percent to 45 percent target to reduce carbon intensity? What progress is Congress making on a bill to limit Chesapeake Bay pollution?

Jonathan Lash has a strong record of working closely with CEOs of major corporations, members of Congress and the White House, and leaders from countries worldwide. He is a unique and trusted voice from the environmental NGO community for these leaders, and journalists can benefit from his insight for their future stories on issues ranging from climate and business action to water and forests.

Rolling Stone called him a “climate warrior and hero,” recognizing him for bridging the divide between industry and environmental leaders. He was named one of the world’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Finance by Treasury & Risk Management magazine, and was the only leader of a non-profit environmental organization to make the list.

A former co-chair of President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development and secretary of natural resources in Vermont, Lash currently serves on the advisory board of Generation Investment Management, on the GE Ecomagination Advisory Council, and as a leader of the United States Climate Action Partnership.

RSVP: Paul Mackie, WRI director of media relations, +1(202) 729-7684, pmackie@wri.org
Jessica Forres, WRI media officer, +1(202) 729-7684, jforres@wri.org

Save the Date for WRI's Environmental Stories to Watch 2010 Press Briefing

Paul Mackie — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:58:54 -0500

Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute (WRI), will brief journalists on January 7 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on upcoming environmental issues in 2010, including climate, business action, water, forests and more.

Look for a full media advisory with more details, including Webcast information, to be sent the week of the event.

Please RSVP: Paul Mackie, WRI director of media relations, +1(202) 729-7684, pmackie@wri.org or Jessica Forres, WRI media officer, +1(202) 729-7736, jforres@wri.org

Transcripts, slidedecks and Webcasts from previous years

New WRI Web App Allows Easy Analysis of Developed Country Climate Pledges

Paul Mackie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:43:46 -0500

Demonstrates that Current Pledges Fall Short

All the latest emission reduction pledges from developed countries, including recent announcements from the U.S. and Russia, are incorporated in an interactive Web application released by the World Resources Institute (WRI) here today at the U.N. climate conference.

“Understanding the levels of ambition of developed country targets, as well as how they compare with one another, is crucial. Hopefully this will help them agree to an ambitious path towards reducing their pollution,” said Rob Bradley, WRI’s international climate director.

Web users can easily test the strength and comparability of pledges - based on a variety of scenarios – by Australia, Belarus, Canada, Croatia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States.

A screen-shot from WRI’s new Web application: Annex I developed country absolute emission-reduction pledges in 2020 relative to 1990 levels. The red line represents these countries’ aggregated reductions based on their pledges (13-18%, if LULUCF emissions are included in baseline). The IPCC suggests that stabilizing atmospheric concentrations to 450 parts per million of CO2 will require these countries to reduce emissions 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020.

“Anyone can play online with these updated pledge numbers, choose assumptions, and compare commitments of countries. Importantly, the user can also see how far current pledges go towards addressing the urgent problem of climate change,” said Kelly Levin, a WRI associate and lead analyst on this work.

Scenarios for comparing country pledges include:

percent change in per capita reductions versus absolute reductions;
baseline years of 1990, 2000, 2005, or 2006;
high and/or low pledge ranges; and
with or without land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) emissions in the baseline.

An accompanying report, Comparability of Annex I Emission Reduction Pledges, along with a chart comparing 2020 targets of Annex I countries, is also being released today. It details the commitments from industrialized countries that are part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The report finds that developed country pledges total a 13 percent to 18 percent reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020, depending on the assumptions made about the details of the pledges.

This falls far short of the 25 percent to 40 percent range of emission reductions that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states would be necessary for stabilizing concentrations of carbon dioxide at 450 parts per million, a level associated with a 26 percent to 78 percent risk of overshooting a 2 degrees Celsius temperature increase.

“It is clear that we need industrialized countries to come forward with more ambitious pledges in Copenhagen if we are to avert the worst impacts of climate change,” added Jennifer Morgan, director of WRI’s Climate and Energy Program.

The numbers in the Web application, report, and chart represent pledges by countries responsible for 98 percent of all developed country greenhouse gas emissions.

MEDIA ADVISORY: WRI to Brief Press on Essential Elements of a Copenhagen Agreement

Jessica Forres — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:16:59 -0500

WHAT: Please join the World Resources Institute (WRI) for a journalist-only policy briefing Tuesday that will preview the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).

WHEN: Tuesday, December 8; Noon – 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Bella Center; Hall H; Asger Jorn room; Copenhagen, Denmark

WHO: Jennifer Morgan, director, WRI Climate and Energy Program

WHY: Details on possible outcomes in Copenhagen will be outlined. Other WRI experts will also be on hand to answer questions on topics such as finance, forests, adaptation, and the latest public statements from world leaders.

The briefing will also be Webcast live and archived.

RSVP: Paul Mackie, WRI director of media relations, +1(202) 729-7684, pmackie@wri.org

MEDIA ADVISORY: WRI Press Briefing on What to Expect at Copenhagen

Paul Mackie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:24:01 -0500

WHAT: Please join the World Resources Institute (WRI) for a journalist-only policy briefing this Friday that will preview the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7-18.

WHEN: Friday, November 20, 2009
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Expert Briefings and Question & Answer Session
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm: Happy Hour Reception

WHERE: World Resources Institute, 10 G Street, NE, 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20002 (Metro: Red Line to Union Station)

WHO: Jonathan Lash, president, World Resources Institute,
Jennifer Morgan, director, WRI Climate and Energy Program

WHY: Details on possible outcomes in Copenhagen will be outlined, including WRI expert perspectives on provisions for finance, forests, and adaptation – taking into account the latest public statements from leaders of the U.S., China, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and country environment ministries. WRI Climate and Energy program Director Jennifer Morgan will also release a new report, Foundations for a Low Carbon Future: Essential Elements of a Copenhagen Agreement.

RSVP: Paul Mackie, WRI director of media relations, +1(202) 729-7684, pmackie@wri.org

SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter hashtag #wrinews

RSVP by Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Science Reinforces Human Role as Climate Change Impacts Accelerate

Paul Mackie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:13:29 -0400

A new report of scientific findings confirms not only that human activity is the primary cause of rising temperatures, but that climate change impacts are accelerating.

The compilation of peer-reviewed research includes evidence that melting rates for mountain glaciers around the world doubled between 2004 and 2006, and that more than 28,000 plant and animal species are changing habits due to new climatic conditions.

“Climate change impacts are happening now. This is not a distant phenomenon. And many impacts are emerging at a faster rate than previously modeled,” said Kelly Levin, an associate at the World Resources Institute who co-authored Climate Science 2008: Major New Discoveries with Dennis Tirpak, WRI senior fellow.

Levin said the trends may seem less surprising because we are inundated with so many stories about global warming. But as a co-author for the past four years of WRI’s annual compilation, she added that the repeated reconfirmation of trends should support the need for rapid and substantial greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation efforts worldwide.

The report is broken into four sections, which include some of the following sample findings:

Physical Climate:

The rate of growth of global carbon dioxide emissions between 2000 and 2007 was four times that of the previous decade.
A large majority of warming over the last century can be attributed to human activities rather than natural factors, such as solar variability.
If atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations reach 700 parts per million by 2100 (concentrations in 2008 were 385.57 parts per million), daily maximum temperatures are projected to rise to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the U.S. Midwest and Southern Europe and exceed 122 degrees Fahrenheit in Australia, India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.
Sea ice loss in the Arctic could have the potential to warm ground up to 930 miles inland, threatening to trigger ”rapid degradation” of permafrost.
This section includes studies in the areas of abrupt change, GHG and aerosol concentrations, temperature, and ocean behavior.

Hydrological Cycle:

From 1996 to 2006, the rate of ice mass loss of Antarctica increased by 75 percent.
The rate of melting and thinning of 30 glaciers across nine mountain ranges around the world doubled between 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.
Up to 60 percent of the hydrological changes in the Western United States are due to human activities, a trend which, if sustained, “portends a coming crisis in water supply.”
This section includes studies in the areas of glacial and snow melt, water supply, and storms.

Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services

Changes in 28,800 plant and animal systems and 829 physical climate systems have led scientists to conclude that human-induced warming is already “having a significant impact” on natural and physical systems.
Due to climate change-induced beetle infestations, the forests of British Columbia will turn from a small net sink of carbon dioxide to a large net source by 2020, with emissions trumping those related to forest fires.
If carbon dioxide emissions continue unabated, tropical ocean “dead zones” are likely to increase by 50 percent by 2100.
This section includes studies in the areas of both marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Mitigation Technologies

A promising method of capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air is under development.
A new non-toxic, inexpensive technology for storing solar energy, with potential applications for generating hydrogen power, has been discovered.
This section includes studies in the areas of solar, thermoelectric, biofuels, wave energy, batteries and ultracapacitors, and carbon capture.

WRI’s review includes peer-reviewed 2008 science and technology publications, including those from key general scientific and technical journals.

Commission Proposes Plan to Battle Climate Change on the Ground

Paul Mackie — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:07:31 -0400

A path for financing smart economic development through strong institutions was announced today by a 14-person commission appointed to advise political leaders on climate change.

The Commission on Climate Change and Development reported on its progress today at the United Nations in New York and will also present its findings tomorrow at the Swedish Embassy in Washington D.C.

“The way that nations respond to the global recession can provide the basis for a path of sustainable development that eases the planet’s interlocked emergencies, where ecosystems are valued as much as other forms of capital,” said Gunilla Carlsson, chair of the commission and the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation.

The Commission is addressing climate change adaptation and its links with disaster risk reduction. Since its launch by the Swedish government in late 2007, the group has met with governments and citizens struggling with the effects of climate change in Cambodia, Mali, and Bolivia. It will issue policy recommendations on how to strengthen resilience of vulnerable communities and countries, establish appropriate institutional and financial architecture for adaptation, and mobilize new financial resources.

Developing countries are particularly exposed to the impacts of droughts, floods and wind storms as well as longer term changes in ecosystems. International negotiations have focused on reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere - with little success. Although all efforts must continue to reach agreement on implementing GHG limits, this work cannot blind governments to the need to begin to adapt to changing climate systems right now.

“Adaptation is more than ‘climate proofing,’” said Jonathan Lash, a member of the commission and president of the World Resources Institute. “It will require resources far beyond existing official development assistance, but it is a moral and strategic necessity.”

One of the many recommendations within the Commission’s Progress Report is that funding for adaptation must go far beyond current official development assistance and that all donors honor their commitments of 0.7 percent of gross domestic product. The recent Bangladesh Adaptation Strategy for responding to natural disasters sets an interesting example.

“People at risk need democratic and political institutions to listen to their needs and concerns,” Carlsson added. “In the age of climate change, the institutions of accountable and responsible government are more important than ever.”

The Commission determined that knowledge of local impacts is still largely in the form of hypotheses and scenarios. While greenhouse gas reductions are measurable, it is more difficult to determine the success of adaptation and requires much more cooperation between institutions in different fields. These institutions can no longer be reactionary, as was the case after the food and financial crises of 2008. Also, existing institutions must be made as effective as possible rather than adding to the already proliferating array of institutions.

The full findings are available in a report called Closing the Gaps: Exploring the Links Between Adaptation to Climate Change and Development.

The members of the Commission represent international and regional organizations as well as research, civil society and the private sector. Members participate in their personal capacities and include: Carlsson (Sweden); Angela Cropper (Trinidad and Tobago), deputy executive director for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Mohamed El-Ashry (Egypt), senior fellow, UN Foundation; Sun Honglie (China), professor and head of the China Climate Change Expert Committee at the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Nanna Hvidt (Denmark), director of the Danish Institute for International Studies; Ian Johnson (UK), chairman of IDEAcarbon; Lash (USA); Wangari Maathai (Kenya), professor and founder of the Green Belt Movement; Ivo Menzinger (Switzerland), Managing Director at Swiss Re; Sunita Narain (India), director of the Centre for Science and Environment; Youba Sokona (Mali), executive secretary of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS); Bernard Petit (France), deputy director-general, Directorate-General for Development, European Commission; Margareta Wahlström (Sweden); UN assistant secretary-general for Disaster Risk Reduction and the secretary general’s special representative.