WRI Insights

The world of open data [welcomed a new platform](http://www.wri.org/blog/new-one-stop-shop-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data) this summer—WRI’s [Climate Analysis Indicators Tool](http://www.wri.org/project/cait), or CAIT 2.0. The platform offers free online access to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other climate data, enabling researchers, policymakers, media, and others to download, visualize, and share data for analysis and communications on climate change. Today we’re pleased to roll out the [next iteration of CAIT 2.0](http://www.wri.org/project/cait), featuring improved functionality and other upgrades. Check out [a screencast](https://vimeo.com/77816905) of how CAIT 2.0 works, or read on to learn about some of the benefits visitors can expect to find.

A recent incident at Lumber Liquidators highlights how [alleged ties to illegally harvested woods](http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/10/09/heres-the-report-that-may-have-prompted-the-lumber-liquidators-raid/) can negatively impact business. Moreover, it shows that the U.S. Lacey Act—which bans trafficking of illegally sourced wood and paper products—is [continuing to crack down](http://www.wri.org/blog/gibson-guitar-logging-bust-demonstrates-lacey-act%E2%80%99s-effectiveness) on suspected illicit activity. It’s important that companies take note—and [take action](http://www.wri.org/our-work/project/forest-legality-alliance).

Parties to the UNFCCC established the Adaptation Fund in 2008[^1] to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Fund has gradually evolved since then, and it’s about to embark on its newest development: a safeguard policy to ensure that its investments do not have unintended negative consequences for people or the environment. The move represents potential progress in the effort to promote climate justice and adaptation. The Adaptation Fund holds a small but important share of global climate finance, distributing [more than US$ 180 million](https://www.adaptation-fund.org/About) to adaptation activities spanning 28 countries. An Environmental and Social Policy—which the Board [recently released a draft](https://www.adaptation-fund.org/page/call-public-comments-proposed-environmental-and-social-policy) of—can help ensure that that these funds do not support projects that generate unintended environmental or social impacts.

A year after [its inaugural meeting](/blog/whats-next-green-climate-fund), the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) left its [fifth meeting in Paris](/blog/5-areas-action-set-green-climate-fund-ambitious-path) earlier this month with a collective sense of urgency. The GCF is expected to become the main vehicle for disbursing climate finance to developing nations, so the decisions made at this most recent meeting significantly impact the future of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Encouragingly, Board members stepped up to the important task before them, making progress across several key issues. Their decisions made it clear: The GCF’s inception phase (referred to officially as "the interim period") is over—the focus now is on funding it and launching its operations.

Record-setting levels of smog this week [shut down Harbin](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/21/chinese-city-paralysed-by-smog), a city of 11 million people in northeast China. Officials blamed increased coal consumption during the first days of winter heating, underscoring the urgency of the China State Council’s [recently announced initiative](http://www.wri.org/blog/can-china%E2%80%99s-air-pollution-action-plan-slow-down-new-coal-power-development) to address persistent smog in major cities. But while the Air Pollution Control Action Plan has ambitious goals—cutting air particulates and coal consumption—it may create unintended problems for the country’s water supply.

It is common knowledge that China burns a large amount of coal, with [the fuel accounting for nearly 70% of China’s primary energy consumption](http://www.eia.gov/countries/data.cfm) in recent years. What is less commonly known is that China is also working on ways to reduce the impact of its coal use, including aggressively pursuing research and demonstration of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology.

Earlier this year, [WRI analysis](http://www.wri.org/publication/reducing-food-loss-and-waste) found that one in four food calories produced go uneaten. Yesterday a group of experts took the first step toward helping to curb this massive amount of food loss and waste. At the Global Green Growth Forum in Copenhagen, [WRI announced](http://www.wri.org/news/release-new-effort-launched-measure-and-monitor-global-food-loss-and-waste) the launch of a process to develop a global standard for measuring food loss and waste. This standard, known as the [“Global Food Loss and Waste Protocol,”](http://www.wri.org/our-work/project/global-food-loss-and-waste-measurement-protocol) will enable countries and companies to measure and monitor the food loss and waste that occur within their boundaries and value chains in a credible, practical, and consistent manner.

The UNFCCC negotiations are entering a crucial phase. Negotiators [decided nearly two years ago](http://insights.wri.org/news/2011/12/qa-legal-aspects-durban-platform-text) to establish an international climate action agreement “with legal force” by 2015. How this agreement will be structured, though, remains to be seen. WRI’s [new working paper](http://www.wri.org/publication/pathway-climate-change-agreement-2015-options-setting-and-reviewing-ghg-emission) lays out the various options for designing the process for submitting "national offers," countries’ plans to reduce their respective greenhouse gas emissions. It will be critical for negotiators to focus on three key areas: the content of the offers, the timing and process for submitting them, and how they will be reviewed.

Indonesia has the world’s third-largest rainforest, which is a haven for biodiversity and an economic lifeline for many rural communities. However, Indonesian forests are in [rapid decline](http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/14/world/expedition-sumatra-episode-5-blog/) and the country regularly tops deforestation hotspots lists. The key to protecting Indonesia’s forests remains reforming its massive forestry and agriculture sectors. By giving these industries the tools to produce commodities such as palm oil and wood pulp sustainably, Indonesia can increase agricultural production without contributing to deforestation. WRI has produced a new issue brief to address this challenge, ***[How to Change Legal Land Use Classifications to Support More Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia](http://www.wri.org/publication/how-to-change-legal-land-use-classifications-to-support-sustainable-palm-oil-in-indonesia)***. This publication provides a “how-to guide” for companies to shift their palm oil operations from forested to degraded land, as well as recommendations on how Indonesian policymakers can make this process easier.

WRI mempublikasikan analisis singkat untuk membahas tantangan tersebut: How to Change Legal Land Use Classifications to Support More Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia (Bagaimana Mengubah Klasifikasi Legal Penggunaan Kawasan untuk Mendukung Kelapa Sawit yang Lebih Berkelanjutan di Indonesia). Publikasi ini memberikan panduan praktis bagi perusahaan untuk memindahkan operasi kelapa sawitnya dari lahan berhutan ke lahan terdegradasi, sekaligus menawarkan beberapa rekomendasi kepada para pembuat kebijakan di Indonesia untuk membuat proses ini dapat berlangsung dengan lebih mudah.