WRI Insights

As world leaders deal with climate change, aim to lift more people out of poverty, and make the world a more sustainable, prosperous place in 2015, here are the top [Stories to Watch](http://www.wri.org/events/2015/01/stories-watch-2015), according to WRI’s experts and as presented by WRI President and CEO Andrew Steer on January 8.

More than one half of the world’s population lives in cities, and by 2030, about one billion additional people will live in urban areas. Former president of Mexico, Felipe Calderón, explains that *how cities build their transport systems* will determine their economic performance and citizens’ quality of life.

The number of SUV models getting at least 25 miles per gallon (mpg) has doubled in the last five years, while the number of cars achieving at least 40 mpg has increased sevenfold. [Research shows](http://www.wri.org/publication/seeing-believing-creating-new-climate-economy-united-states) that new policies can drive efficient vehicle use even further, lowering emissions and saving consumers money.

Robin Chase, founder of [Zipcar](http://www.zipcar.com/), [Buzzcar](http://www.buzzcar.com/en/), and [GoLoco.org](http://goloco.org) and speaker at the upcoming [Transforming Transportation 2015](http://www.transformingtransportation.org/) shares insights on how cities can advance environmentally sustainable and people-centered transportation solutions.

For those of us interested in shifting the needle towards a more sustainable future, 2014–which may be the hottest year ever recorded–offered numerous candidates for top new insight.

WRI prides itself on making big ideas happen. For the past three decades, we've used rigorous research as a basis for creating positive change on the ground. The result is [dozens of outcomes](http://www.wri.org/our-work/outcomes) in cities, regions and countries around the world.

Improving environmental democracy initiatives is critical, as decision-makers negotiate the [post-2015 sustainable development goals](http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/focussdgs.html)(SDGs) and countries make commitments to the [Open Government Partnership (OGP)](http://www.opengovpartnership.org/), an international initiative to improve government transparency.

Last month, 40 nations agreed to restore 5 million hectares (12.4 million acres) of degraded lands and areas of low-quality bamboo production into productive, healthy bamboo forests at the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan’s (INBAR) Ninth Council Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This pledge will help answer the Bonn Challenge—an effort to pledge to have 150 million hectares (370 million acres) of degraded and deforested lands in restoration programs by 2020—and could create significant environmental and climate benefits, if bamboo can overcome its image problem.

Roughly 1.3 billion people around the world lack electricity, and more than 3 billion live in rural areas that may experience poor internet connectivity. How can we ensure that digital tools benefit the communities that oftentimes need them the most?

Oil prices are plummeting, the United States and China made a major joint climate announcement, and renewable energy reached price parity with coal in a growing number of markets. Iconic tech companies—including Google and Apple—are playing a larger role in both renewable energy and home energy efficiency. Against this backdrop, 2014 is on track to go down as the world’s hottest year ever recorded. Already, the first 10 months of 2014 have been the hottest on record globally. This is a troubling trend.