WRI Insights

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its first-ever access to information policy last week. The pilot policy—which will be revised after its first year—aims to “enhance transparency and openness” in the organization’s work. But despite its noble aspirations, the policy falls far short of providing true transparency.

Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile 2000-2006 and Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana 1998 -2008, co-authored this blog post as members of the High Level Advisory Committee to the Climate Justice Dialogue. They offer three decisive reasons for immediate and substantial capitalization of the Green Climate Fund.

U.S. climate action received support yesterday from four former EPA administrators who served Republican presidents. William D. Ruckelshaus, Lee M. Thomas, William K. Reilly, and Christine Todd Whitman testified before the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee at a hearing entitled [“Climate Change: The Need to Act Now.”](http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_id=a26b916b-b182-45cb-f502-930b93f8a24b) They delivered a clear message for Congress: Climate change is one of the greatest threats to America’s economy, environment, and communities—and it need not be a partisan issue.

After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Japan halted all existing nuclear operations and significantly scaled back its 2020 emissions-reduction target. As Japan revises its energy policy over the next few years, officials will decide the future of the country’s energy mix—and its climate action. New research [reveals](http://www.wri.org/publication/ghg-mitigation-policy-japan) that Japan can likely go beyond its emissions-reduction target with existing initiatives, but needs to pursue more ambitious action in the long-term to truly overcome the climate change challenge.

A new WRI working paper, “[Monitoring Climate Finance in Developing Countries: Challenges and Next Steps](http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/WRI13_MonitoringClimate_final_web.pdf),” draws on a series of three regional workshops in Latin America, Africa, and Asia where representatives from governments and other agencies discussed the challenges in monitoring climate finance flows, and some of the efforts their countries are making to overcome these challenges.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) [carbon emissions regulations for existing power plants](https://archive.epa.gov/epa/cleanpowerplan/carbon-pollution-standards-new-modified-and-reconstructed-power-plants-regulatory.html), released earlier this month, are an opportunity for utility customers to save big with renewable energy—accelerating the current trend.

After nearly two weeks of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [negotiations in Bonn](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/05/3-things-we-need-hear-climate-ministers-bonn), the pathway to Paris and the [new international climate agreement to be agreed there](http://www.wri.org/blog/2013/11/qa-jennifer-morgan-how-do-we-secure-strong-international-climate-agreement-2015) at the end of 2015 is beginning to emerge. At this mid-year negotiating session held between the annual summits that take place in December, climate negotiators began to discuss key issues, particularly the framework for the national offers that individual countries will make (their “intended nationally determined contributions”).

EMBARQ Mexico discusses three key elements of urban design to support quality public transport, and how it can help cities move towards a transit-oriented development model.

Peristiwa kebakaran hutan dan lahan gambut yang baru-baru ini terjadi di Indonesia meninggalkan jejak kerusakan yang sangat dahsyat. Kebakaran hutan, yang [mencapai puncak](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/03/fires-indonesia-spike-highest-levels-june-2013-haze-emergency) pada bulan Maret serupa dengan krisis kabut asap Juni 2013, menghasilkan kabut asap berbahaya dalam jumlah yang sangat besar. Hal ini mengakibatkan ditutupnya ratusan sekolah dan beberapa bandara lokal, serta mungkin telah mengakibatkan gangguan pernapasan kepada [lebih dari 50.000 orang](mailto:http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/fires-spread-riau-kalimantan/). *Baca versi bahasa Inggris [di sini](http://www.wri.org/blog/2014/04/preventing-forest-fires-indonesia-focus-riau-province-peatland-and-illegal-burning)*.

As governments and citizens look for ways to reduce the risks they face from climate change, one option at their disposal is the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process developed under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Heather McGray draws on her experience at the [Experts Meeting on the NAP Technical Guidelines in Tanzania](http://unfccc.int/adaptation/workstreams/national_adaptation_plans/items/8024.php) to explain key features of the NAP process.