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Jane Goodall at AFR100 launch, Paris. Credit: Michael Oko
Commentary

COP21: Heading into Week 2, Things Are Starting to Get Interesting

The table is set for an ambitious and equitable agreement. All the ingredients are there for success. Will ministers grab this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Commentary
Wanjira Mathai (center) with Andrew Steer and Jane Goodall at AFR100 launch, Paris. Photo credit: Sarah Weber
Commentary

Fighting Climate Change with Trees in Africa

Wanjira Mathai, daughter of Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai and co-chair of the Global Restoration Council, discusses the new landscape restoration initiative AFR100 and the power of restoration to address a range of issues, including health, environment, energy security and the empowerment of women.

Commentary
BRT and bike lane
Commentary

Sustainable Transport: Building Equitable and Low-Carbon Cities

Sustainable transport, when implemented in ways that are socially, economically and environmentally positive, is at the nexus of better accessibility for people and a decreased carbon footprint.

Commentary
Climate-smart agriculture in Kenya
Commentary

Ensuring Adaptation Finance Accountability

A new report shows how civil society groups can track the flow of adaptation funds and ensure money is used productively.

Commentary
Forest landscape restoration in Ethiopia
Commentary

African Countries Aim to Restore 100 Million Hectares of Degraded Land

In Paris today, a coalition of more than a dozen African countries, nine financing organizations and 10 technical partners announced a new initiative called the African Restoration Initiative (AFR100), with the goal of restoring 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested land in Africa by 2030.

Commentary
Peru forest
Commentary

Initiative 20x20: A Landscape Restoration Movement Rises in Latin America and the Caribbean

In just one year, Initiative 20x20 has secured commitments to restore 27.7 million hectares of land by 2020—an area the size of the United Kingdom —with private impact investors earmarking $730 million to support restoration projects in the region.

Commentary
Rio de Janeiro
Commentary

Through Compact of Mayors, 360 Cities Will Cut Their Emissions 17% by 2030

WRI analysis shows that by joining the Compact of Mayors, 360 cities can avoid emitting 740 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually in 2030, more than what Mexico emits every year.

Commentary
Brazilian Amazon
Commentary

New Climate Commitments on Forests and Land Will Reduce Emissions by 2%, but More Needed

Countries' new climate plans released this year represent the greatest collective commitment to reduce land use emissions even seen in international climate negotiations. Yet there's still room for even more progress during COP21.

Commentary
Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/13774211@N00/56586703/">Pandiyan</a> via <a href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>
Vignette

Learning from Disaster: Chennai Flood Offers a Personal Lesson for Climate Adaptation

"Today, as negotiators haggle over the details of a climate agreement in Paris, my home town in southern India is literally underwater," says Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, WRI India's Adaptation Strategy Head for Climate Resilience Practice. "Chennai has seen 17 days straight of rain, precisely the kind of extreme weather event that experts say will only become more common in a warming world."

Vignette
Green Zone at COP21, Paris. Credit Deborah Zabarenko
Commentary

What’s In a Name? Paris Agreement's Legal Form Explained in 7 Questions

What will the final outcome of the Paris climate talks be called? An agreement? A package? A treaty? As delegates make progress crafting the negotiating text at COP 21, there has been intense discussion about its legal form. Here are seven questions and answers to help understand this important issue as we head towards the climate conference's final week.

Commentary

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