Achieving Equitable Development

Communities around the world are grappling with environmental injustices. Indigenous Peoples are losing forests that have sustained their way of life for generations. City residents don’t know if their water is safe to drink. And farmers are struggling to protect their crops from an onslaught of climate impacts — droughts, floods, fires and rising seas — that they had little hand in creating.

These communities are disproportionately affected by environmental issues, yet they’re frequently left out of the decisions that impact their lives and the natural resources on which they depend. While some governments are trying to tackle these challenges, many lack the knowledge, capacity or funds to advance just solutions.

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