Achieving Equitable Development

Communities around the world are grappling with environmental injustices. Indigenous Peoples are losing forests which have sustained their way of life for generations to industry. City residents, particularly in vulnerable regions, often lack safe drinking water. Farmers face an onslaught of extreme weather events — from floods and wildfires to rising sea levels — that threaten their livelihoods and food security.

Yet those who are disproportionately affected by environmental issues continue to be excluded from decisions that shape their lives and the ecosystems they depend on. Efforts by international organizations and grassroots movements to address these challenges are often fragmented and underfunded. And international aid is contracting, leading to funding cuts for climate adaptation, humanitarian support and development programs. This has left many governments and vulnerable communities without the resources, capacity and infrastructure they need to address environmental and social inequalities.

The gap in support for climate resilience and justice is only widening, exacerbating existing inequalities and threatening to undo decades of progress in tackling poverty, health disparities and environmental harm.

WRI works with governments, the private sector, civil society and citizens to address issues that matter most to vulnerable communities. We focus on social and financial equity, poverty, adaptation to climate change, environmental rights, pollution and responsive government.

We start with analyses of voice, power and vulnerability in environmental decision-making. Who suffers and who benefits when governments act? Who has a seat at the table, and who is left out? What do citizens need to shape policy?

We identify critical steps global leaders must take to ensure inclusivity, transparency and accountability. We build citizens’ capacity to engage in the environmental decisions that impact their lives and ensure more just, sustainable outcomes. And we mobilize civil society networks that drive bottom-up change and secure better futures for communities around the world.

Photo Credit: Paolo Nicolello/Unsplash